t LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. J 



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I? UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.*! 



H 



THE NARRATIVE 

/ 



OF 



A COMMUTED PENSIONER. 



/ 



By J*** \\r*#**#***# 

LATE OF THE LXXVIII REGT., NOW SERJEANT IN L1EUT.-COL. 
MAITLAND'S BATT. OF MONTREAL VOLUNTEERS. 



" I have seen war's lightning- flashing, 
Seen the bright sword with bayonet clashing, 
Seen through red blood the war-horse dashing, 
And scorn'd, amid the reeling strife, 
To yield a step for death or life." 




MONTREAL: 
PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, 

BY J. STARKE AND CO. 

1838. 



7 



TO THE 

OFFICERS, NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS 

AND PRIVATES OF THE 

ISrtttsf) &rmg atttr Hogal ¥o!untm:s in nje Canatras, 

THIS NARRATIVE OF SERVICES IN INDIA 

IS DEDICATED, 

IN ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FOR THE 
BRAVERY, PATRIOTISM AND ZEAL DISPLAYED BY THEM 

IN CRUSHING THE LATE REBELLION, 

BY THEIR HUMBLE SERVANT, 

THE AUTHOR. 



THB 



NARRATIVE OF A COMMUTED PENSIONER. 



LETTER I. 



My Dear Friend, 

The mutual regard which so long subsisted 
betwixt your father and myself, not to speak of what 
I have for you personally, would render it no easy 
task to refuse any request made by you. Your wish, 
therefore, to have a narrative of my life, although it 
may recal some painful recollections, I will with plea- 
sure gratify. Prepare, then, to hear of battles, storms, 
sieges, hair breadth 'scapes, and all the vicissitudes 
of a soldier's life. You will likewise, in the course of 
the narrative, have an account of the nature of the 
climates of the different foreign countries I have 
visited; with the dispositions of their inhabitants, 
their manners, customs and religious ceremonies. 

My father, you may perhaps recollect, had, in his 
younger days, served his Majesty on board a man-of- 
war, and had been created a warrant officer. After 
leaving the service, he returned to his native town of 
C. in the north of Scotland. This town stands on a 
peninsula, having a very large basin in front capable 



of containing the whole of the British Navy. The 
entrance to this basin is about two miles in width. 
The place is justly called Portus Solutis, or Harbour 
of Safety. The town contains nearly two thousand 
inhabitants and its chief trade consists in the manufac- 
ture of sack cloth, of which there is a factory in the 
place, employing about two hundred of both sexes of 
the population. There is also a salmon fishery, the 
produce of which is sent to the London market and 
turns to good account. Pork too, is shipped to Lon- 
don in considerable quantities. The original town 
lay more towards the entrance of the basin, than the 
present town, and, as I was informed, never contained 
more than from three to four hundred people, chiefly 
fishermen. It was destroyed in consequence of the 
German ocean forcing its way over a piece of ground 
which lay low to the water's edge, and, there being 
no bulworks to protect the place, in one night it was 
overwhelmed, with a few of its inhabitants ; the rest 
made their way up the country, without being able 
to save any part of their property. 

In this town I was born and brought up. I recei- 
ved the education usually given to those of my rank 
in life in Scotland, although I profited little by it 
On leaving school, I was apprenticed out to a trade. 
When the term of my servitude had expired, I resol- 
ved to visit the metropolis of Scotland, expecting to 
find there more encouragement in my trade than I 
had got in my native place. I therefore set out on 
my journey to Edinburgh, where I arrived in safety, 



and, obtaining employment at my business, remained 
there a considerable time. 

In the late long and sanguinary war, which con- 
vulsed Europe to its very centre, when England alone 
stood in the breach, it became necessary to make 
great exertions to oppose the then Ruler of France, 
and to prevent his threatened invasion of the country. 
All men were therefore, called upon to serve their 
country in some shape or other, and seeing that I 
must become a soldier, either in a regular regiment 
or the National Militia; of two evils, I thought to 
choose the least, and therefore enlisted in the Edin- 
burgh Militia. After remaining in that corps for 
about three years and six months I found, that in- 
stead of having chosen the least, I had chosen the 
greatest evil, I resolved to volunteer into a regiment 
of the line. An opportunity soon occured while we 
were stationed at Dunbar, when thirty of our regi- 
ment, including myself, volunteered into the 78th 
Highlanders. Previous to volunteering I waited on 
General M'Kenzie, Col. of the 78th, who had 
known me before I enlisted. He told me, that if ] 
entered his regiment, and my conduct had been all 
along good in the Edinburgh Militia, he would make 
me a Serjeant. 

Shortly after we had volunteered, we were ordered 
to join the depot of the regiment, which was then 
stationed at Perth. Here we found two hundred 
other volunteers from the different Scotch Militia 
regiments. We were placed under the command of 



Major Stewart and formed into four companies. I 
was appointed pay serjeant to the fourth division. 
The 78th was at this time serving in India, and 
thither we expected to be sent, so soon as we were 
properly organised. Accordingly on the 10th of Nov. 
1807, we received orders to proceed to the Isle of 
Wight, thence to embark to join our regiment. Af- 
ter remaining some time at Park House Barracks, 
the order, for the embarkation of our division on board 
the Elphinstone and Winchelsea Indiamen, arrived ; 
and, on Christmas day, of the above year, we were 
all on board our respective vessels. I embarked in 
the Elphinstone, Capt, James Craigie, Commander. 
She was a strong built vessel, carrying heavy cannon, 
I believe thirty-two pounders, on the gun deck. 
The crew consisted of English, Scotch, Irish, Dutch, 
French, and Lascars or Indian sailors. The passen- 
gers belonged to the 47th, 56th and 78th regiments, 
in all and of all kinds, about one thousand souls. 
Yours, &c. The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER II. 



My Dear Friend, 

All being now in readiness, the signal for sail- 
ing was hoisted by the commodore, and away, the 
whole fleet went, before a favoring gale. A few days 



sailing brought us into the Bay of Biscay, when for 
three days and four nights we endured all the horrors 
of a storm. The lightnings flashed — the thunders 
roared — the winds blew— the rain descended in tor- 
rents — and the seas raged around us, rendering- it a 
scene not soon to be erased from the memory. I will 
not, however, attempt to give you a description of it. 
There is, I believe, little variety in storms at sea : and 
you are, I have no doubt already familiar with such a 
scene, either in its reality, or from the description of 
some abler pen than mine. 

On the fourth evening the storm abated its violence, 
although the sea still continued much agitated. Next 
morning we had cleared the Bay; and on the 11th 
January, ten days after loosing sight of Great Britain, 
we arrived at the island of Madeira, where we re- 
mained four days. The signal for sailing being once 
more hoisted at the admiral's maintop, the fleet again 
set sail, and soon left the island of Madeira behind. 
We saw the flying fish in great numbers pursued by 
the dolphins. We caught a few of these strange 
creatures and the sailors eat them. There was now 
a dead calm. Not a breath of wind to cool the 
air, which was excessively hot. The sharks were day 
and night prowling around us, wishing for something 
to fill their hideous mouths. A lady, who was look- 
ing over one of the cabin windows, overbalanced her- 
self and fell among these terrible creatures- — a boat 
was instantly lowered and she was snatched from a 
horrible death. Another accident occured that same 



evening ; a soldier, belonging to the 47th regiment, 
was looking over the ship's side with a child about two 
years old in his arms, the infant being of a lively 
turn, sprang from his fathers arms and overboard he 
went. Another soldier seeing the accident sprang 
into the sea and seized the child whom he kept afloat 
until a boat, which had been lowered, reached them, 
when both were saved. 

We had got as far as the latitude of the Cape of 
Good Hope, when we were again overtaken by a 
storm, which lasted during a day and a night, we 
sustained no damage other than the loss of a few top- 
sails. Here a part of our fleet left us, bound for dif- 
ferent stations. Having run a long way to the south 
in expectation of the trade winds, we began to feel it 
cold — and we had a good deal of snow for a week or 
so, After cruising some time in a southern latitude, 
we had the good fortune to get what we wanted. The 
ship's course was then altered, and in less than a 
week we got again into the warm latitudes, with a 
steady wind blowing on our quarter. After a passage 
of three months and seventeen days we cast anchor 
at Bombay. Boats having been procured to land the 
troops before ten o'clock that day, the whole were 
once more placed on terra firma. Thousands of the 
natives came to offer their services in carrying our 
knapsacks and other baggage, a request which a few 
of us were foolish enough to comply with. We gave 
them our knapsacks to carry to the place of our en~ 
campmentj but no sooner had they got them than 



they disappeared, which deprived us of all we at that 
time possessed. These natives, to us Europeans, 
presented a strange and stricking appearance. — 
They were all naked, except a turban which they 
wore upon their heads, and a handkerchief tied round 
their waists. These were Hindoos, of whom I will 
have occasion to speak more particularly hereafter. 
The party which belonged to the 47th, marched off to 
join the regiment, which lay at a place called Old 
Woman's Island, in the neighbourhood of Bombay. 
The men belonging to the 56th and those of the 78th 
were ordered to encamp at a little distance from the 
city. For a month we lay on the bare ground with a 
knapsack for a pillow, and without any covering ex- 
cept the canvass tent; having very foolishly given our 
beds and bedding to a petty officer on board the ves- 
sel we sailed in, upon his representation that they 
would be of no further use to us, as Government 
would supply us with articles better suited to the 
climate of the country. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER III. 



My Dear Friend, 

The morning after we encamped, my comrade 
and I went out to walk and to take a view of the 



country. In the course of our walk we came to 
an encampment where a Sepoy regiment lay. In 
passing a large tent, which was partly open in 
front, we looked in and saw one of those gods that 
the Hindoos call a Samea, standing upon a pedestal, 
I went in and, without any thought, gave it a 
kick with my foot which made it roll on the 
ground. Two of the Bramins, who were at the back- 
side of the tent and whom we had not perceived when 
we entered, immediately rose up, crying murgee, rnur- 
gee^ which signifies murder, seizing us both by the 
collar, but in a second we laid them alongside their 
god, and made our retreat. They followed us, but 
to no purpose; for having got among the tents of our 
own party we were safe enough. The Bramins, 
finding that they could not discover us, went to the 
Governor of Bombay and informed him of the sac- 
\ rilege that two of the newly arrived Europeans had 
committed, by knocking down their Samea. That 
evening the Governor issued orders "that whoever 
should molest or offend any of the castes in or 
about Bombay, if discovered, should be severely pun- 
ished." 

The following morning my comrade and I went, 
before the sun rose, to enjoy the cool breeze by the 
sea side. When we arrived at the beach, we were 
greatly astonished to see more than a thousand human 
forms, all in white, kneeling upon the sand. Upon the 
first appearance of the sun, which now began to peep 
over the mountain tops, the whole mass of kneeling 



9 

people spread forth their hands, as if to welcome his ap- 
proach. They then arose, went to the water' s-brink 
and threw in handfuls of rice, flour, and pieces of coin, 
I now perceived that these people were Fire Worship- 
pers, performing their devotions to their deity. I 
shall here, before proceeding farther with my narrative, 
give you a brief account of these people, with their 
religious ceremonies, and their sentiments concern- 
ing God. They are called Guebers or Fire Worship- 
pers, from the sun being the principal object of their 
adoration. They believe that God, whom they call 
Oramazis, is the first of incorruptible things, eternal, 
unbegotten, and that he is no compound of parts — 
there is nothing equal to him nor like him — he is the 
Author of all good, and he is entirely disinterested — 
he is the most excellent of all excellent beings, and 
the most intelligent of all intelligent natures — the 
father of equity, and the parent of all good laws — 
self-instructed, self-sufficient, without beginning or 
end — -that he existed before the material sun, which 
is emblematical of its Creator — that he existed from 
all eternity in an adorable solitude, without any com- 
panion or rival, and that he is as to visible things, 
most like light. One of their prayers is as follows : 
" O thou glorious and unsearchable Being, Lord of 
divine essence and attributes, the Lord of abundance 
and the God of life* It is thou who didst create the 
intellect and all that is necessary in the mind of thy 
creatures. It is thou who didst form the body and the 
soul. It is thou only who truly livest, for thou art 



10 

the Lofd of life, the only God in the whole world. 
It is thou who didst make the revolving heavens arid 
the fixed earth. It is thou who didst beautify heaven 
with the embroidery of the stars and raised the orbs 
with nine stories. Thou didst plant the earth with 
the human race and illuminate it by the sun and 
moon. Thou didst make the world of substances and 
accidents; but man was thy chief care. Let us turn 
to rectitude and holiness, for there is nothing else in 
the regions of the blessed. On thee we depend for 
all the comforts we enjoy. Continue while it is thf 
good pleasure to bestow them on thy children. " 
Whether they offer up any sacrifices or not at the 
present time I do not know, but in former years they 
did so. Yours, &c. • 

The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER IV. 

My Dear Friend, 

In the conclusion of my last letter I informed you 
that the Fire Worshippers were formerly in the habit of 
offering up sacrifices to their deity. In offering up 
these sacrifices, they neither used libations nor music 
nor hallowed bread nor erected altars. The person 
who intended to offer the sacrifice, which w T as a sheep, 
led the victim to an eminence, into a clean place and, 



II 

wearing a wreath of myrtle about his Tiara, invoked 
the god to whom he intended to sacrifice the offered 
victim. When the priest had cut it into small pieces, 
each one present took a share, saying, at the same 
time, that Oramizis desires nothing but the soul of 
the victim. In the whole course of my travels I have 
never met with any people so cleanly in their apparek 
Their turbans of many folds are pure as snow. Their 
upper garment is nearly as fine as their turbans. 
Trowsers worn very wide, drawn together round 
the waist by a silk cord ; and they generally wear a 
sash of red silk round their loins. They are in ge- 
neral, a tall and slender people, very discreet, but un- 
commonly superstitious about fire and water. They 
will not allow you to take any of their fire away, nor 
even to light your pipe at it. If you should be under 
the necessity of asking them for a drink of water, 
they will give it to you, provided you allow them to 
pour it down your throat. They allow no stranger to 
touch their cooking utensils, and if any one happens 
so to do, they immediately destroy the articles thus 
contaminated, and the offender is obliged to pay the 
value. This I experienced in my own person ; as I 
happened, one day, to take up a copper pitcher to 
take a drink, when the owner immediately destroyed 
it, and I was obliged to pay three rupees as its value* 
If a fire happens in any of their bungalows or houses 
(which is no uncommon circumstance), the inmates 
make no endeavour to secure their safety; saying 
that their ofod has come for them. While w T e were 



12 

encamped in the neighbourhood of Bombay, a fire 
occurred at a place called Dongaree, within a mile 
and a half of that city, and I, along with many other 
soldiers, went to aid in extinguishing it. The Fire 
Worshippers, or Persies, as they are sometimes called, 
were, on this occassion, compelled to quit their bun- 
galows, the soldiers dragging out both men, women, 
and children, from the flaming houses. Yours, &c. 
The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER V. 

My Dear Friend, 

After remaining about two months in the 
neighbourhood of Bombay, we were ordered to em- 
bark on board country boats and proceed to a 
place called Tannah. Near to that village was a 
strong fort, which being empty, we took possession 
of. Here we received our arms and accoutrements 
and commenced drilling and mounting guard. The 
rainy season had now commenced. The soldiers were 
attacked with dysentery which cut off nearly twenty 
men. I did not escape the malady, but suffered much 
for seven days. On the eighth day I felt an exces- 
sive desire for something to eat, and I got the cook, 
who was a native, to make me a plum pudding, and 
procure for me a bottle of port wine from the sub- 



13 

conductor. I then eat my pudding, and drank about 
an English pint of the wine, and in about a quarter of 
an hour after, I fell into a sound sleep, and did not 
awake until next morning, when I felt much refreshed, 
and the complaint had almost entirely subsided. 
When the doctor came to the hospital to visit the sick, 
which was generally about eight o'clock in the morn- 
ing, he was much surprised to find me recovering, as 
when he had left me the preceding evening, he did 
not expect that I would get better. Every day I 
continued to improve in my health and in a month 
after I was able to do duty. I then informed him 
what I had done, and its consequent effects. 

The fort in which we were stationed, seemed evi- 
dently to have belonged to the Hindoos previous to its 
occupation by the British, for within the first gate 
there is placed a large image, about ten feet high, 
without either legs or arms. The head was round like 
a cannon shot, with one eye in the forehead. This 
statue or image was all besmeared with red paint. 
At the bottom of this huge god of the Hindoos was 
a trough, which would contain about five gallons. It 
was kept constantly full of cocoa nut oil. Every 
morning the devotees of this strange looking idol 
came, anointed their foreheads, arms and breasts with 
the red paint, then fell down before it and kissed the 
ground seven times. They then presented their 
offerings of cocoa nuts, rice, and small pieces of coin 
which they call pici. I was much shocked at their 
superstitious ceremonies, and would most certainly 



14 

have knocked the idol to pieces, had not a sentry 
been placed upon it, with orders not to allow any 
one to molest the worshippers, or to touch the 
image. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER VI. 

My Dear Friend, 

Being always of an inquisitive disposition, I was 
in the habit, wherever we were stationed, of col- 
lecting all the information possible relative to the 
manners, customs, and religion of the natives. I 
have, in consequence, become possessed of many 
particulars regarding the Hindoos, and these I shall 
now detail to you ; but, as they were acquired from 
various individuals, at different times, in desultory 
conversations, I may, perhaps, not be able to do it, 
in so clear and distinct a manner as might be wished; 
yet, I trust sufficiently, so as to give you a tolerable 
idea of these people. 

The religion of the Hindoos is Pagan. Their 
sacred books, they say, were sent by God to one of 
their prophets called Brama. In one of these books, 
which is called the Vidam, it is written, that " one 
supreme God is the author and governor of the uni- 
verse ; and it is he alone who rules the world and all 



15 

that is therein — it is he alone who rules the eight 
hundred and forty thousand kinds of living' creatures; 
but because of his various appearances and properties, 
he has different names. He is called Biruuma, be- 
cause he creates ; Wischimu because he protects ; 
and Ischuren^ because he destroys. This supreme 
being, they say, is invisible, incomprehensible, im- 
mutable, without figure or outward form. No man 
can comprehend him — his essence fills all things 
and every thing that is, proceeds from him. All 
power, all wisdom, all knowledge, all holiness and all 
truth dwell in him. He is infinitely good, just and 
merciful. It is he alone who created all things, and 
who preserves all things, and who delights to dwell 
in the hearts of all good men, that at last he may 
conduct them to eternal happiness. Man must re- 
semble the great God; — his good actions in life 
must outweigh his bad ones; — he must fit himself for 
eternal happiness in this world, and if he neglect to 
do so, his soul must go through a number of trans- 
migrations, to purify and refine it. God never pu- 
nishes but to cure. He is the lover of the souls of 
men, and they never will be eternally lost. God, as 
the protector and deliverer, is said by the Bramins, 
to have already been nine times in this lower world, 
delivering men from destruction and restoring them 
to a state of purity. At certain periods they sacri- 
fice a sheep, and at the time of doing so, they re- 
peat, with a loud voice, these words, " When shall 
the Saviour be born? When shall the Redeemer 



16 

appear?" The Bramins also say, " that before sin 
had entered the habitation of man, myrrh, honey and 
wine flowed from the fountains; but when man made a 
bad use of these blessings, God deprived them of them, 
and they were sentenced to work and labour here 
for ever after." When a Hindoo dies, his living wife 
is burned upon the same pile with the dead husband. 
I asked one of my informants why this was done? 
His only answer was, "that it had been the custom for 
many generations to do so, and that it was voluntary 
on the woman's part." I replied, that it was only no- 
minally a voluntary act on the woman's part, and I 
was certain that in many instances, it was submitted 
to with very great reluctance, and- that it was a cus- 
tom that ought to be immediately abolished. He 
said, that for his own part, he would have no objec- 
tions, for his religion taught him not take away life, 
except in self-defence. 

The Hindoos, although they believe in one su- 
preme God, have also a belief in inferior deities. 
Their belief is, that the Supreme Being appoints 
these inferior or tutelar deities to the charge of cities, 
towns and villages, for their protection or destruction, 
as his will may be, and that without his permission they 
can exercise no power whatever. 

The Hindoos have a very singular mode of trying 
any of their caste who is accused of theft. The ac- 
cuser and the accused are brought before an image 
by a Bramin. From each party he gets a bettle nut, 
both of which he fixes on the face of the image; and 



17 

if the nut of the accused falls first, guilty or not 
guilty, he is taken away to be punished. 

In one of my conversations with a Bramin on the 
subject of religion, I advised him to turn Christian, 
and began to explain some of the Christian tenets. 
" All this is very good," he replied, "and your religion 
may be good, so is ours — our fathers received their 
religion from their fathers as did yours — our fathers 
loved their children, and certainly would not deceive 
them by giving them a religion they did not believe 
to be the true one." The Mussulman, the Persie 
and the Christian have the same proof. Whilst we 
were conversing, a drunken soldier came reeling 
against us, and caught the old priest by the beard. I 
laid hold of the fellow, and dragged him away, and 
got him put into confinement. The next time I saw 
the Bramin, he asked me if the man who had seized 
him by the beard were a Christian? I answered that 
he was. " Go," said he, "and see if any Hindoo gets 
drunk, or abuses any of you Christians." This com- 
pletely closed my mouth, and I made no farther at- 
tempts at converting him. 

The Hindoos are a very cleanly people. Like the 
Jews, they have an abhorrence of swine's flesh, and you 
cannot insult a Hindoo more, than by offering him a 
piece of pork, or to touch him with it. Should any 
of them have inadvertently touched any part of the 
animal, they consider themselves defiled and unclean, 
until such time as they are absolved by a Bramin. 
This these priests are always very ready to do, provided 



18 

the unfortunate fellow's purse is heavy enough; but if 
he has not the means to satisfy the Bramin's demands, 
he is certain to have a severe punishment to undergo 
in the shape of penance. I shall here mention a few 
of these penances. One of them is as follows : — 
The defiled person is not allowed, for the space of a 
month, to lie down or even to sit; he must take his 
sleep in the best way he can standing, not being al- 
lowed to lean against anything for support. Another, 
is to have the one arm raised above the head; and to 
keep it in that position for a length of time, and the 
consequence is, that frequently their arms become unfit 
for use, as it gets completely benumbed and power- 
less. Another, and apparently the most severe, is 
having a hook passed through one of their ribs, and 
then hung up a few feet from a fire, whilst the offi- 
ciating Bramin throws into it some powders which 
casts out a rather agreeable scent. In this position 
the unhappy w r retch must remain, until the Bramin 
pronounces him purified from his uncleanness. It 
frequently happens, however, that the defiled person 
will neither part with his money, nor suffer penance. 
He then loses caste, as it is termed, — that is, he is 
thrown out of his tribe, and none of his relations or 
acquaintances are allowed to speak to him. They 
are called Pears or bad men. These Pears, or Hin- 
doos who have lost caste, are very numerous in India. 
They are chiefly employed as cooks, washermen, water- 
men, and in all kinds of drudgery required by the 
Europeans. Except in dress, they conform to all the 



19 

customs of the Europeans, and they are not slow in 
adopting their vices. In fact, they get so debased, 
that for the sake of money, they will become acces- 
sary to the prostitution of their own daughters. They 
drink like fish, and that of the worst sorts of arrack, 
new from the still, which would very shortly kill a 
European if he were to indulge himself in the use of 
it, but seems to have no effect upon them. There is 
another liquor which they use. It is got by tapping 
the top branches of the cocoa nut tree. This they 
call tady, and is very agreeable and safe to drink, 
provided it is used early in the morning or after sun- 
set. It soon, however, ferments and then it becomes 
extremely hurtful to a European constitution. Yours, 
&c. The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER VII. 

My Dear Friend, 

I have, in my last letter, given you all the infor- 
mation in my power regarding the Hindoos; and it 
may not be amiss, before proceeding with my narra- 
tive, to mention a few particulars about the opinions 
and customs of the professors of the Mahometan re- 
ligion, w T ho are very numerous in India. 

They believe in our God, whom they call Alia, 
and that Mahomet is his prophet — that Moses had 



20 

an existence and was sent from God to teach man- 
kind the way to paradise — that Alia sent Jesus Christ 
to teach mankind; and that the Jews, his countrymen, 
crucified him; and lastly, that he sent Mahomet, 
being the last and greatest of his prophets. They 
likewise believe that prayer, with fasting, conducts 
mankind half way to the palace of Alia — and that 
those who persevere in prayer are truly in quest of 
God, and shall be hereafter united to him. They 
pray five times a day. They must not, however, ask 
for riches or honours, but petition Alia for purity of 
mind that they may seek nothing but him. They 
are taught, that should it please Alia to send afflic- 
tion, they must not spurn at the visitation ; as those 
whom Alia afflicts, he loves when they receive it with 
resignation. The true mark of a good man, they 
say, is to be possessed of a tender heart, to have a 
hatred of the world, and a distrust of self. Many of 
these Mahometans or Mussulmans go a pilgrimage 
to Mecca, the city of their prophet, and have in con- 
sequence great reputation for sanctity amongst their 
brethren. They do not allow the adoration of 
images, statues, or similitudes of divine things. A 
great number of them are merchants, and, as far as 
my experience goes, and I had a good many transac- 
tions with them, they are very fair in their dealings. 
Their dress consists of a turban, generally white as 
snow, but sometimes green or blue; a large white 
gown, down to their heels, with wide trowsers, and a 
sash, generally of silk, tied round their waist. They 



21 

are a steady and sober people, but very proud, and 
are seldom seen to laugh. They are in general 
strongly built, and possess considerable physical 
strength. They are in most respects superior to the 
Hindoos. In my next letter I shall proceed with my 
narrative. In the meantime. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER VIII. 

My I>ear Friend, 

I now regain resume my narrative after a long 
digression. The rainy months being over, we re- 
ceived orders to proceed to Bombay, thence to Goa, 
there to join the main body of our regiment. In ten 
days we arrived at our destination, and were welcom- 
ed by the old hands of the regiment. The strength 
of the corps was then exactly five hundred men, 
which, with the addition of our party, made the regi- 
ment nine hundred strong; and, in about two months 
after, we got an additional two hundred and fifty, all 
disciplined men, fit for immediate service; although 
we were not brought into action for three years and 
ten months thereafter. 

The Island of Goa is a settlement belonging to 
Portugal, and is governed by a Viceroy from that 
country. It is about twenty miles in length; and 



22 

from eight miles to a quarter of a mile in breadth. 
There are a couple of Portuguese regiments who do 
duty in the place. The greater part of the soldiers 
live at old Goa, which is the chief city, the rest at a 
town called Panfum. Formerly the Inquisition ex- 
isted here in all its power, but at the time I lived 
there, it was divested of its terrors, the king having 
granted a religious toleration. The priests, however, 
still swarm in it; and are computed to be no fewer 
than five thousand out of a population of twenty 
thousand, consisting of Portuguese, Hindoos, Ma- 
hometans and Persies. The monks are principally " 
of the order of St. Francis; belonging" to which order 
there is a very large monastery, standing upon an 
eminence by the sea-shore near to a place called 
Caba, where a temporary barrack had been erected 
for the 78th. The Island is very healthy, and the 
heat at no time oppressive, as it stands high and is 
exposed to the cool sea breezes. The natural pro- 
ductions of the Island are rice, tobacco, pepper, the 
sugar cane, with excellent pot herbs. Fruits are in 
great abundance and very delicious. The animals 
used for food are buffalos, swine and sheep ; but the 
best is scarcely eatable. The buffalo meat is of a 
dry nature and very lean. There is also abundance 
of poultry, and very cheap, but much inferior to those 
of Europe. It is somewhat strange that dogs, brought 
into these warm climates gradually degenerate; they 
become indolent, lose their native energies and ul- 
timately become unfit for any use. 



23 

The soldiers in this country are well provisioned. 
The price is deducted from their pay, and generally 
amounts to one half, the other half they receive to 
provide themselves with such necessaries as occasion 
requires. Upon the whole, I do assure you, that 
a soldier in India is far better off than common 
tradesmen at home, although it must be allowed that 
no private soldier can save money. The day and the 
journey must end together, with all private soldiers, 
in whatever country they sojourn. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER IX. 

My Dear Friend, 

While we were stationed at Goa, a foolish af- 
fray took place between a brother serjeant and my- 
self, which was the cause of my being reduced to the 
ranks. One day while at breakfast, serjeant G. asked 
me to go to the canteen and take a glass or two. 
Seeing that he had already got enough, I told him I 
would not, that day, drink more than my allowance. 
This refusal he looked upon as an affront, and began 
to abuse me, calling me, and the other volunteers that 
came along with me to India, cowards. I said that 
that had yet to be proved; but should it turn out so, 
we could follow the example set by him at the battle 



24 

of Assay and hide ourselves in a field of rice. This 
rendered him quite furious, and he struck me a blow 
on the side of the head. Being of a temper naturally 
hot, I could not stand this, nor endure it without re- 
taliation, I accordingly returned the blow, when a 
scuffle ensued, which terminated nothing to the ad- 
vantage of the aggressor, as in the course of it, his 
foot slipped and he fell on the corner of a bed, and 
broke a couple of his ribs. " Rightly served," now- 
echoed from twenty mouths, he being much disliked, 
not because he did his duty strictly, but because he 
was what we denominated a pickthank^ that is, one 
who was constantly carrying to the officers some 
trifling complaints against his fellow soldiers. In 
consequence of his hurts, serjeant G. was obliged to 
go into the hospital; where he remained three weeks. 
In the interval, the busy tongue of fame had conveyed 
to the ears of our commanding officer, that I had 
been fighting, and that I was the cause of my brother 
serjeant being in Hospital. I was ordered in due ar- 
rest, and remained so, until serjeant G. was dis- 
charged from the hospital. We were then brought 
before a regimental court martial; and all that I 
could urge in my defence, or the witnesses' evidence 
on my behalf, was unavailing; we were both sentenced 
to be reduced to the rank and pay of privates. I 
certainly had some reason to expect a more lenient 
sentence, as I had for upwards of three years per- 
formed the duty of a serjeant to the entire satisfac- 
tion of my commanding officers, and this was the 



25 

first offence I had committed against the Articles of 
War. After having been so long a non-commissioned 
officer, the situation of a private soldier was by no 
means agreeable to me, and as I had a relation re- 
siding at Madras, who held a high situation in the 
Company's service, I thought of applying to him to 
relieve me. I accordingly waited on my command- 
ing officer and mentioned to him my intention, and 
requested a certificate of my conduct while under 
his command. He desired me to write my letter and 
leave it with him, and he would consider of it. I did 
so, and the next day I received my letter back, with 
a note from my commander to this effect, "that my 
late conduct, which had been the cause of my being 
reduced, prevented him from giving me such, a char- 
acter as would be of service to me." I was much 
disappointed; but had no alternative but to submit. 
Yours, &c» The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER X. 

My Dear Friend, 

In a short time after the occurrence mentioned 
in the conclusion of my last letter, orders were receiv- 
ed that we should hold ourselves in readiness to pro- 
ceed on an expedition, and, that a Rifle Company 
should be formed from the best marksmen in each 



26 

regiment. Three companies were instantly formed, 
clothed, received rifles and accoutrements, and com- 
menced drilling. In the course of a month we were 
embarked, and, after a pleasant voyage we, on the 
2d February, 1811, arrived at Madras, where the 
fleet, that was destined for the expedition, was assem- 
bling. The morning after we cast anchor, I was 
somewhat surprised by my commanding officer telling 
me, that if I wished to go ashore to see my relative, 
I was at liberty to do so. I eagerly embraced the 
offer, and getting myself ready, got into the boat, 
alongside in which were major F. and other two offi- 
cers who were also going ashore. Immediately on 
landing, I went in quest of the person I wanted to 
see; but how great was my disappointment when I 
found that he had left Madras for Britain a month 
before. The next day major F. accosted me, saying 
that he was sorry to find that) I had been disappointed 
in not seeing my friend; "but," said he, "continue to 
behave yourself, and on the first vacancy I will restore 
you to your former rank." 

We remained but a short time at Madras, when 
every thing being in readiness, the fleet set sail in 
three divisions, having eleven thousand troops on 
board, comprising the 59th, 69th, 89th and 78th 
European regiments, with a few squadrons of the 22d 
Light Dragoons, and about four thousand Sepoy, or 
native troops; likewise, a few Artillerymen with field 
pieces. We continued on our course with a gentle 
breeze for about a month, when the water on board 



27 

getting scarce, it was determined to stop and replenish 
our stock at the first watering place we should come 
to. In a few days after, we had the satisfaction of 
seeing an Island on our starboard quarter, and the 
whole fleet made for the desired haven, where, in the 
course of a few hours, we came to an anchor. The 
Island appeared to be covered with wood, which came 
down to the very water's edge. Next morning, the 
watering parties of the different vessels, were all on 
the alert to procure an additional supply of that ne- 
cessary article. The Rifle Companies were also or- 
dered ashore to practice ball firing. This continued 
for five successive days. On the morning of the 
fifth day, we again weighed anchor and proceeded on 
our voyage. The next place we made was Malacca, 
where we remained for a week, taking in fresh pro- 
visions. I was not ashore there, so I can give you no 
account of the place. After leaving Malacca the 
Yellow Fever, or some other malady resembling it, 
attacked the men in the vessel I was on board. The 
unfortunate sufferers got completely mad before they 
died, and when life was extinct, their bodies became 
perfectly black. There were no fewer than eighteen 
of the men died of this disease. I was also attacked 
by it, and when the first symptoms appeared, I 
adopted the plan of one of the sailors on board Cap- 
tain Cook's ship when at the Island of Java, that is 
to say, I got nearly drunk. Having procured a bottle 
of arrack from the ship's steward, I made up and 
slung my hammock, drunk nearly the whole bottle of 



28 

spirits, and got under the blankets. I vomited very 
much during the night, but next morning, thank 
God, the fever was gone, although I felt considerable 
uneasiness from the effects of the liquor. When the 
doctor made his visit next morning, he enquired how 
I was, I told him I was nearly well, and at the same 
time I mentioned the cure I had taken. He laughed 
and said I shall acquaint the commanding officeF 
with this new cure of yours. In less than half an 
hour, major F. came to see me, and inquired what 
put it into my head to get drunk. I replied, that in 
reading Captain Cook's voyages, I had observed it 
mentioned that on their arrival at Java, the ship's 
crew was attacked with the fever of the country, with 
the exception of a cook, who got himself drunk every 
night while they remained at the Island; — besides, I 
replied, the one devil drives out the other. Well 
done W. I shall inform the general of this matter, 
which he accordingly did* Next day, the whole 
medical staff came on board and examined me. I 
stated exactly how I had been seized, and what I 
had taken as a cure. Double allowance of arrack 
was then ordered to each man, with an addition of 
half a pint of shrub per day, so long as the fever 
continued amongst us. None died after this, except 
two, who were too far gone to receive any benefit 
from the cure. Having reached the straits of Malacca, 
we were obliged to come to an anchor every night, 
in consequence of innumerable small islands scatter- 
ed around as far as the eye could reach. None of 



29 

these Islands exceeded two miles in circumference. 
We now made the Island of Java, the place of our 
destination, after a tedious voyage of five months. 
Yours, &c. The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XI 

My Dear Friend, 

We had no sooner reached our destination than 
preparations were made for disembarking the troops. 
The light brigade was first landed, and without any 
opposition on the part of the enemy, marched five 
miles up the country. The heavy brigade and cav- 
alry were also landed the same evening. The 78th 
passed the night, part of them in a coffee field, and 
part in a store for the same commodity, at that time 
nearly empty. A very laughable incident occurred 
that evening. The men, when they got amongst 
the coffee, thought they had got into a field of com- 
mon beans, and began to eat of them greedily. Thev 
however soon repented their temerity, for they were 
seized with such a violent vomiting that they con- 
cluded they were poisoned. The doctors were 
sent for, and as soon as they came, the cause of the 
poor fellows' sickness w r as discovered, when they got 
well laughed at. They, however, spent a very un- 
comfortable night of it. The light brigade were 



30 

more fortunate, having got into a field of water melons, 
which they found very pleasant and refreshing, after 
having lived so long on salt provisions. We remain- 
ed two days without advancing. On the evening of 
the second day, one of our company having got sick 
I was ordered to see him to the beach, and get him 
conveyed on board the ship. I did so, and having 
seen him safe on board I went on my way to return 
to my company. During my absence the brigade 
had moved from its ground. There was no one left 
to direct me how to proceed ; but as I judged that 
they had proceeded towards Batavia, I also took that 
direction. I walked on until I came to a place where 
there were two roads; the one leading straight for- 
ward; the other branching off to the left. As I was 
ignorant which of these roads I should take, I threw 
up my sword, determined to take that road towards 
which the point of the sword should be directed upon 
its fall, and fortunately for me it turned out to be the 
right one. I proceeded onwards, and not long after 
I met Sir Samuel Auchmudy, the Commander-in- 
Chief, with his staff. He demanded of me the rea- 
son of my being behind and alone. I told him I had 
been sent to escort a sick soldier to the beach. He 
did not seem pleased, and said that two men ought 
to have been sent with him, as it was unjust to 
make any one soldier carry the arms and accoutre- 
ments of a sick man, such a distance. " Go," said 
he, "and remain for the night with the first inlying 
picquet you come to." I marched on, and in about 



31 

half an hour after I parted from the Commander in 
Chief, I was challenged by a sentry, of the 59th 
Riflemen. I told him who I was, and he having in- 
formed me where my own company was to be found, 
I again marched forward. Darkness now enveloped 
me ; and you may conceive that my situation was 
very far from pleasing, traversing a strange country 
alone and in darkness. I however, proceeded on my 
cheerless and lonesome way, crooning over a favorite 
Scotch ditty, said to be " Lord Moira's farewell 
to Scotland," upon his leaving that country to join the 
army in Holland. I had scarcely finished the se- 
cond stanza, when a beast of the forest sprung across 
my path, and, with a tremendous growl, darted into 
the wood, followed by another savage beast which 
appeared to me to be in pursuit of the first. I im- 
mediately unslung my rifle, and loaded it with a 
couple of running shots, determined to sell my life as 
dear as possible if I should be attacked by any of 
these ravenous creatures. As I marched on at a 
brisk pace, I saw at a distance lights moving to and 
fro with a circular motion, and seemingly approach- 
ing me. I halted, fixed my sword on my rifle and 
prepared for the worst. In a few minutes the lights 
came close to me, when I found them to be flambeaux, 
carried by three Malays as a protection from the 
wild beasts that are continually prowling about during 
the night in that country. This is a very necessary 
precaution, and no person travelling at night in that 
country, should neglect to carry lights with them, ag. 



32 

the beasts of prey always avoid lights. I made a 
sign to the Malays to give me one of their lights, 
with which they complied without hesitation, and 
perhaps it is well that they did, as to tell the truth, 
had I been refused, I might have done mischief con- 
sidering that my life might almost be said to depend 
upon the possession of the light. At the same time 
I may remark (although I v/as not aware of this until 
after) that my life was in fully as great danger from 
the Malays as from the beasts of the forest, as they 
are so fond of fire arms that they would not hesitate 
to murder any one for the sake of them, provided 
they could get off with impunity. Believe me, I 
consider my escape on this occasion to have been one 
of a miraculous and providential nature, and one that 
can never be obliterated from my mind. Had they 
made an attempt to seize my arms, I might indeed have 
dispatched one of them; but there still would have 
been tw T o to grapple with, and these armed with 
daggers, the Malays never being without these wea- 
pons in their belts, so that my chance of escape must 
have been small indeed. The Malays having parted 
from me, I continued my journey; and having first 
slung my rifle across my shoulders, I then began to 
use my light in the same manner as I had seen the 
Malays do. In about an hour after, I came up with 
my own company who had bivouaced in the road for 
the night. Upon my arrival I informed Captain 
Cameron that I had met the Commander-in-Chief 
and his staff, and that he was highly displeased at 



33 

my having been sent alone with the sick soldier, and 
that it was likely he, Captain Cameron, would hear 
of it the next day. "It cannot be helped now" re- 
plied that officer, "but to make you amends you shall 
do no duty until we reach Batavia." Being dismiss- 
ed, I unloosed my knapsack from my shoulders, 
stretched myself upon the ground, and resigned my- 
self to sleep. Next day news was brought that three 
men belonging to a Sepoy regiment had been torn to 
pieces by the w T ild beasts near to the place w T here I 
received the flambeau from the Malays. We re- 
mained two days at the place where I had rejoined 
my company, and on the third w 7 e marched into Ba- 
tavia, the French having evacuated it and retired to a 
strong position called Cornelius. The light brigade 
which entered the city, was comprised of the follow- 
ing companies; viz. the light and rifle companies of 
the 59th, 69th and 78th, with five companies of the 
89th amounting in all to eighteen hundred men com- 
manded by General Gillespie ; and I am confident 
that the British army could not produce a finer or a 
braver set of fellows. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER XII. 
My Dear Friend, 

Upon our arrival at Batavia, we were marched 
into the great square where the stadt-house stands ; 



there the authorities came and presented the keys of 
the city to our commander. The general then caused 
it to be proclaimed, that the British army had come 
to free the Island from French tyranny, and that 
thereafter it would be given back to the Dutch Go- 
vernment. We now understood that the French 
army amounted to twenty-five thousand men, com- 
posed of Dutch, French and Malays, commanded by 
a veteran of the name of Jansin. The day following 
our occupation of the town, we again marched in 
quest of the enemy. We had not proceeded more 
than an hour, when we were saluted with a tremen- 
dous volley of musketry and grape shot. Not an 
enemy, however, were to be seen, as they were 
strongly posted within a wood, behind barricades of 
newly felled trees. Their cannon were too much 
elevated to do much execution amongst us, but the 
rifles and musketry told sharply. We had only 
two cannons with the Brigade, which were speedily 
brought into play, and did great execution. The 
Artillery continued to cannonade the enemy for some 
time, but not a shot was fired by the rest of the 
Brigade. Becoming impatient of our inactivity, we 
called out to the General to allow us to charge and 
scour the woods. At last an order to that effect 
was given, and forward we dashed, like some mighty 
torrent, sweeping all before us. Five Riflemen, 
along with myself having forced our way through a 
hedge which impeded our progress, we were astonish- 
ed to find ourselves in the midst of the French Ar- 



35 

tillery. I was the first who got through, and as soon 
as I discovered where I was I fired my rifle, and the 
other five men did the same, and I believe, each 
brought down his man. The remaining gunners 
threw down their sponges, &c. and fled. The French 
Army, having been driven back at all points, retreat- 
ed to Cornelius. I do here assure you that I was 
the first soldier who put hands upon the cannon taken 
upon this occasion. I do not mention this by way 
of a boast, or with the view of making it appear that 
I was braver than my associates, but simply state the 
fact, that such was my good fortune. After the ene- 
my had been driven back from their position, our 
Commander formed us into a solid column, and ad- 
dressed us saying that we had behaved nobly, in 
completely defeating an enemy triple our number, 
and taking six pieces of Artillery, and added, that 
he wished it was in his power to reward us ail as we 
deserved. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XIII. 

My Dear Friend, 

In my last letter I gave you an account of the 
first action in which I had ever been engaged. We 
rained the victory, but it was with the loss of a great 



m 

number of brave soldiers; but our loss was not in any 
degree equal to that of the enemy. The enemy, as 
I mentioned before, retreated within the strong forti- 
fication at Cornelius. Before proceeding to attack 
them within their entrenchments, it was necessary for 
us to erect batteries. The period, therefore, between 
the tenth and twenty-second days of the month, was 
occupied in erecting these batteries, and a heavy 
train of Artillery having been landed from the 
Illustrious, 74, was planted in them. Upon the 
morning of the 22d, a strong detachment of the ene- 
my came down, and made themselves masters of all 
the batteries, driving out all the sailors who were 
then planting the cannon. The 78th, along with 
the -14th and 69th, after some severe fighting, retook 
all the batteries, but not until the French had spiked 
a few of the guns. The detachment of the enemy 
retreated once more to Cornelius, after losing a good 
many men in killed, wounded and prisoners. The 
British likewise lost a good many men. After the 
action I went over the field, and I observed many 
things worth recording, a few of which I shall now 
mention to you. In one place I saw two contending 
parties lying dead, each transfixed with the bayonet 
of the other. A little farther forward I beheld a 
wounded soldier dashing his head upon the ground 
and groaning most piteously. He did not speak, 
although I called to him, asking if I could render him 
any assistance. A Cavalry officer, I believe Cap- 
tain T. of the 22d Light Dragoons, was passing at 



37 

the time, and seeing the poor fellow suffering so much 
from his wounds, told me to put him out of pain by 
shooting him through the head ; I said I could not 
do it ; upon which he drew his pistol and shot him. 
I then examined in what place he had received his 
first wound, and found that it was in his left breast, 
a few inches below the nipple. I then took another 
direction, and came to a part of the field where a 
number of the 78th lay dead and wounded. Amongst 
the latter there was one young man with whom I had 
been long acquainted and for whom I had a great 
respect. He had the misfortune to receive a cannon 
shot, which took away a part of his belly and nearly 
severing his right thigh from his body. I sat down 
beside him, in order to condole with him on his sad 
condition. After conversing with him for a few se- 
conds, he begged of me to get him some water : for- 
tunately, I had a canteen full at my side which I gave 
him, and in a few minutes he had emptied it. He 
then took me by the hand and exclaimed, " Oh ! my 
good friend, if you are fortunate enough to return to 
Scotland, let my sister know of my fate. Tell her 
that she was the cause of my being a soldier ; but I 
forgive her. She may now take the property be- 
longing to me. She did all in her power to poison 
the mind of my poor old father against me before he 
died. She ever prayed for my destruction and it is 
now accomplished, so as to inherit my property ; but 
perhaps she will not live long to enjoy it. Oh ! W. I 
feel the chill hand of death creeping over all my 



38 

body. Farewell, farewell !" He spoke no more; but 
after a few heaves and struggles he yielded up as 
brave a spirit as had ever beat in the breast of man. On 
my return to my native land, I wrote to his sister in- 
forming her of the death of her brother; and in re- 
turn, received a very kind and grateful letter, thanking 
me for the trouble I had thus taken, in informing her 
of the fatal end of her brother; at the same time 
making inquiry if there were any monies due to the 
deceased as prize money, &c. being disgusted at her 
mercenary views, I never took the trouble to write 
her again. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XIV. 

My Dear Friend, 

On the evening of the 26th August, when all 
nature was hushed to repose, and nought was to be 
heard save the voice of the distant sentinels proclaim- 
ing that all was well, I laid myself down on the green 
sward, at the foot of a large tree, with my knapsack 
for a pillow. I fell into a train of thought concern- 
ing the many vicissitudes in a soldier's life, and also 
upon the expected rencounter of the following day. 
I thus soliloquised: "I am now surrounded by a 
number of brave men, many of whom, before to- 



39 

morrow's sun sets may be numbered with the dead, 
and have taken up their quarters, where the sound 
of no earthly bugle will awake them. They are now 
buried in profound sleep, unconscious of all passing 
events. Sleep on, my brave comrades, , and may 
some celestial spirit hover over your heads and convey 
some pleasing vision to your souls. I may be one 
of those who is doomed to fall in to-morrow's engage- 
ment : but fear shall never take possession of my soul. 
I will not yield to the dastard. Honour forbids it. 
Then the thoughts of my wife and little ones — and 
the destitute condition my death would place them — 
the thought nearly unmanned me." I started once 
more to my feet, and casting up my eyes towards 
heaven, methought I heard a voice, in a gentle whis- 
per, address me in these words, "Is not He who pro- 
tected you in the two former engagements sufficiently 
able to protect you again in the sanguinary field — 
put your trust, therefore, in Him." I became calm, 
and again stretched myself on the ground, and en- 
deavoured to compose myself to sleep. I closed my 
eyes and soon fell into a profound slumber. A 
strange vision presented itself to my mind's eye. I 
thought a person of gigantic size stood before me. 
He had a stern appearance, but he spoke mildly. 
He said "follow me to yonder place," at the same 
time pointing towards the sea side. In casting my 
eye in the direction pointed out, I thought I per- 
ceived a number of the men of our Regiment to all 
appearance drunk, and behaving like madmen. I 



40 

thought I challenged one of them for their improper 
conduct, and that they began to abuse me, and en- 
deavoured to strike me. My conductor then took 
me by the hand and said, "let us go from amongst 
them." He then led me towards a rock which lay 
at some distance, and having arrived at it, he desired 
me to ascend the same. I did so ; but it was with 
great difficulty I accomplished it. I then again met 
my conductor, who said to me, "look to the place 
you have left behind." I looked and saw the sea 
violently agitated. I likewise thought I saw whole 
sections of the men swept away into the yawning 
deep, and were no more seen. My conductor then 
desired me to look upwards to the sky. I did so, and 
perceived a large opening in the heavens. My guide 
then told me that he had orders to take me thither, 
and in an instant he caught me by the middle, car- 
ried me up and placed me on solid ground. It ap- 
peared to be a vast garden field of flowers and fruit 
trees. There was no regular road; for however cau- 
tiously I directed my steps, still I occasionally trod 
upon the flowers which grew in my path. I told my 
guide that I was certainly doing wrong in treading 
down the flowers. To this however he made no an- 
swer, but proceeded to a large white house, and said, 
we must enter that building. We entered by a wide 
door which stood open and led us into a large hall 
where I saw, arranged along the wall, a number of 
figures of birds of the colour of gold. They sung so 
melodiously that it baffles all description. In the 



41 

centre of this hall stood a large table, on which was 
placed a sand glass, part being run down, and my 
name written in full upon the glass. A door at the 
farther extremity of the hall opened, and a person, 
of a most reverend appearance, entered. He was 
clothed in a white robe which reached from the neck 
■downwards, and was similar to those worn by the 
Hindoo Bramins. He turned towards me, and said, 
with a frowning countenance, that I had trampled 
down his flowers and soiled the hall with my dirty 
feet. He then addressed my guide, and asked him 
why he had brought me there, and by whose autho- 
rity he had acted? My guide said "that it was by 
order of his son." At that instant a door opened, 
and a young man of comely appearance entered, and 
said, "Oh! Father, this is the person who was so 
much abused by the men who w T ere washed away into 
the sea." The reverend looking old man then ad- 
dressed me with more mildness, and said, "your 
father was a good man and a good soldier and kept 
his shoes always clean. Imitate his example." I said 
"my father was never a soldier." "He was," he re- 
plied, "although he never, like you, destroyed my 
flowers or yet wore a sword by his side. Take him 
away and shew him his father." The old man then 
departed. After he had gone, I asked the youncr 
man to let me have the sand glass, as my name was 
upon it. "The sand glass," he replied, "indeed be- 
longs to you ; but it must remain where it is until 
every grain of its contents has run down." He then 



42 

led me away, my former guide following us, and hav- 
ing gone a short distance we came to a large iron 
gate, through the bars of which I saw my father, sit- 
ting piling up a number of books. At a little distance 
I saw my sister, to whom I had been much attached 
during her life time. She perceived me first, and told 
my father, and both came to the gate and spoke to me. 
I told my father I would not go away again, but stay 
and read the books, and asked him to open the gate 
and let me in. He said he had not the key, but 
that the young man who was with me had. I then 
applied to him for the key, but he said that I must 
not get in at this time. I said I would then climb 
the gate, and accordingly I attempted to do so, but 
the higher up I got the bars appeared to increase. 
The young man said "you will never get in that 
way." I therefore gave up the attempt. The young 
man then turned to my guide, and directed him to 
take me back to the top of the rock, and remain 
there until he sent me a present. Upon this we de- 
parted, and returned by the same way and in the 
same manner we had ascended. We had remained 
there but a short time when I perceived a person 
coming towards us having three pieces of red silk 
cloth in his hand. I thought he tied one piece 
round my left arm, another round my left thigh, and 
the remaining piece round my right ancle, saying at 
the same time that that was the present promised me 
by the young man. At this stage of my dream I was 
awoke by one of the Serjeants of the company, call- 



ing me to get up and fall into the ranks. I asked 
what o'clock it was, he told me it was exactly five 
o'clock. I immediately got up, joined my company, 
and in less than a quarter of an hour, was on the 
march to storm the supposed impregnable works at 
Cornelius. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XV. 

My Dear Friend, 

In making the attack upon Cornelius, the 
company I belonged to led the advance, having 
a Dutch guide, with two officers, about fifty 
yards in front of the whole. We were challenged 
by a French sentinel on the outermost post; the 
Dutchmen in front gave him the watchword, which 
he had previously obtained unknown to us. The 
Frenchman being thus thrown off his guard, the 
guide sprang upon him, mastered his arms and dis- 
patched him without any alarm being given. We 
were then ordered to proceed until we came to a 
bridge which led over the river, towards the enemy's 
strong position. The sentinel at that post was fast 
asleep, and being immediately seized, was made 
prisoner. Here we made a second halt to wait for 
Col. Gibb's division, which w r as to support us. In a 



44 

few minutes they came up, and in the interval, Gen. 
Gillespie who addressed us as he had done every sec- 
tion of his army separately. He told us that at the 
farther end of the bridge the enemy's entrenchments 
lay, and that there was a clievaux de frize in front of 
the whole, which was first to be cleared, and then we 
were to dash amongst the enemy sword in hand, that 
there was to be no firing, and not a prisoner was to be 
taken. " Now onwards, follow me," said the brave gene- 
ral. This was no common strife, for we had to contend 
with an enemy more than double our number, surround- 
ed on all sides by batteries with a large fort in front, 
entrenched within a deep dry ditch with a chevaux 
defrize^ whose spikes, like so many spears seemed to 
threaten instant destruction to any who might attempt 
to assail it. They had likewise a large park of Ar- 
tillery, ready to pour upon the assailants a storm of 
round, grape and cannister shot. Having gained the 
f?trther end of the bridge, we halted for a few mo- 
ments. The General then took off his hat and 
cheered. We followed his example ; when forward ! 
forward ! was the general cry, and onwards we rushed 
to the slaughter, and in a few minutes we grappled 
with our foes — sword met sword and the blood flowed 
in copious streams. The enemy fought stoutly, and 
long continued the deadly conflict. We fought 
man to man, and bodily strength was put to the test. 
We drove the enemy before us, trampling upon the 
bodies of the dead and dying, deaf and insensible to 
the cries of the wounded. Towards the conclusion 



45 

of the affray, a Frenchman and I grappled; he was a 
much stronger man than I. We both fell, and I have 
no doubt he would have speedily finished my career, 

had not one of my comrades run him through the body. 
I got up and. being maddened with pain from my 
hand being lacerated by the teeth of the fellow whom 
I had grappled with, I was soon once more in the 
thickest of the melee fighting with fury. The ene- 
my were, however, at last defeated, and the entrench- 
ments cleared. Having once more formed our ranks, 
the General ordered us to storm a battery of twelve 
guns, which was galling us on our right. We were 
formed in sections of companies and then we prepared 
to storm the twelve gun battery. In double quick 
time we hurried on, but ere we could reach it. it ble^ 
up with a tremendous explosion. The shock was 
truly awful and astounding: the ground shook around 
us. It was terrific beyond description. We were 
completely covered with dust, whilst fragments of 
human bodies, with pieces of wood, stones, &c. came 
down amongst us whereby a few were killed and a 
great many wounded. Our gallant and brave Gene- 
ral was struck from his horse, as was also Col. Gibb. 
The contending armies, as if by mutual consent, 
ceased firing. JVe thought the French had sprung a 
mine: while they, on the other hand, supposed that 
our waggons of ammunition had blown up. The ex- 
plosion, however, proceeded from neither of those 
causes, but was produced by the following circum- 
stance. The grenadier company of the 59th regi- 



46 

ment, with a few officers, rushed into the battery, 
carrying and surmounting every obstacle before them, 
and made themselves masters of the place. An Ar- 
tillery officer who commanded the battery snatched a 
burning match from the hand of one of the Artillery- 
men, and threw it into the powder magazine, thus 
devoting himself to destruction to prevent the bat- 
tery he commanded passing into the hands of his 
opponents. This officer's name was Muller, and he 
was either a Dutchman or a German. The smoke 
being partially dispelled, we could plainly perceive 
the faces of our enemies in front of us. A volley 
from our Rifles was instantly sent amongst them, and 
then another and another; but not without a return 
from the enemy. We did not, however, continue 
long firing, the word was given to charge bayonets, 
and onward we went to close combat. In this charge 
we encountered a Malay Regiment, composed of 
fine athletic fellows, in bodily appearance somewhat 
resembling Scotch Highlanders, and like them also 
undaunted in the battle field. When within a few 
paces of these brave fellows we halted, to take 
breath, and found them closing up their ranks, by 
filling up the vacancies caused by our shot. Time 
was precious — the bugle, therefore, once more sound- 
ed the charge. We drove their arms aside, and the 
next moment our swords and bayonets were deeply 
dyed in blood. Again, and again we charged, until 
the ill fated Malay Regiment was literally cut to 
pieces. We now halted a short time to recover our 



47 

exhausted energies, and during the time, I took a 
survey of the horrid work we had been about. I 
asked a brave fellow who was alongside of me, and 
who had served in many previous campaigns, if he 
had ever beheld such dreadful execution. He said to 
me, " I have fought at the battle of Maida in Calabria, 
in the second battalion of the 7Sth Regiment, and 
in Egypt with the same Regiment, when that corps 
was taken prisoners by the Turks, after loosing about 
three fourths of their number, but I must confess I 
have never seen any thing like this, and it is not yet 
nearly over. Many poor fellows must sleep to wake 
no more ere the tri-coloured flag, that waves in yon- 
der fort, falls," at the same time pointing with his 
finger to Cornelius. He then expressed a desire for 
something to quench his thirst, and as I had my can- 
teen full I gave him a part. I then took a part of it 
myself, which in the act of doing so I observed a poor 
wounded fellow eying me very wistfully and to him I 
gave the remainder. There was a Dutch Regiment 
lying upon our flank which seemed to be in commo- 
tion, and our General suspecting that they were pre- 
paring to attack us ordered us to march up briskly 
upon them. Having got within one hundred paces 
of them, they threw down their arms, took off their 
caps and cheered us. They were all taken prisoners, 
and sent to the rear with a small escort. General 
Gillespie then addressed us saying, "My brave fel- 
lows there stands the enemy's park of Artillery, it 
must be taken." To get to the rear of these cannon 



48 

was our object, and if possible, to do so unperceived. 
We gained the rear, but not without being perceived, 
being so well guarded by the Q French troops. We 
poured into them a most destructive fire, and without 
waiting to re-load our pieces we charged and drove 
them back. Again we formed our ranks as well as 
the circumstances and the nature of the ground 
would admit, and poured in another destructive fire, — 
and then a second charge. We obtained possession 
of a part of the park of Artillery, but what was our 
astonishment to find a fresh Regiment of the enemy 
drawn up in open columns of companies on our right 
flank. We were instantly ordered to load a-fresh. 
The enemy formed quickly; but ere they could level 
a musket at us, our balls made large gaps in their 
ranks. The last charge I ever heard General Gil- 
lespie give, was: "now death or glory my boys! for- 
ward again, let steel meet steel and down they go to 
everlasting sleep." Onward we went to the charge ; 
but the enemy did not remain to meet it. They 
threw down their arms, and fled and the park of Ar- 
tillery was ours. In this last conflict I may say, 
without exaggeration, that we were entirely enveloped 
in flame and smoke from the constant and heavy fire 
from the enemy's guns. A Sepoy Regiment belong- 
ing to our army was almost entirely annihilated by 
the murderous discharges of the cannon. Previous 
to the capture of the park of Artillery, I fell, pierced 
by a grape shot from one of the cannon. My blood 



49 



spouted up in my face, my cap was torn from my 
head, and my rifle was dashed to pieces in my hands. 
Yours, &c. " The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XVI. 

My Dear Friend, 

Having recovered from the shock caused by my 
wounds, I looked around for some person to assist 
me and tie up my wounds ; but I could see no one 
who was capable of performing that friendly office 
for me. The surviving men of my company were in 
hot pursuit of the enemy; and the wounded, who lay 
in heaps around, perhaps stood as much in need of 
assistance as I did. Seeing no one to help me, I 
had to do the best I could for myself. Accordingly, 
I took the sash off a serjeant who lay dead by my 
side, with which I bound up a wound in my arm. 
The other two wounds I could not bind up, so I was 
obliged to allow them to take their chance. After 
having continued some little time there amongst the 
killed and wounded, I got up, and asked some of 
those who were comparatively slightly wounded to go 
along with me and look out for a surgeon ; thev, 
however, one and all refused, stating that they were 
safer where they w r ere as the fighting was not yet 
ended, and that if I went I had every chance of 



50 

being killed. I nevertheless went away in pursuit of 
a surgeon to dress my wounds ; but I had not gone 
far when I found myself getting faint from the loss 
of blood, and felt myself altogether unable to pro- 
ceed without assistance, when fortunately, an officer 
(who I afterwards found to be Captain Wetherall,* 
aid-de-camp to his father. Gen. Wetherall the second 
in command of the army,) passing by, and observing 
my situation, humanely rendered me the assistance I 
so much stood in need of. He not only bound up 
my wounds, but likewise conveyed me to a place of 
greater safety than where I then was. This was one 
of a number of pits, which had been dug by the ene- 
my in front of their works as a protection against a 
night attack. This brave and humane officer, having 
placed me safely in the bottom of the pit, departed. 
He had not been gone three minutes, when a shot 
struck the side of the pit and nearly covered me 
with dust, and a few stones also fell upon my head, 
but without doing me any material injury. I remained 
nearly ten minutes longer in that place, when I ob- 
served a soldier passing whom I requested to assist 
me out, which he did. I once more endeavoured to 

* The officer above mentioned, is Lieut.-Colonel Wetherall 
now commanding the Royals, in Montreal. Feeling certain that 
the Colonel was the same officer who acted so humanely towards 
me in India, I waited upon and remembered him of the circum- 
stance. The Colonel immediately recollected it, and expressed 
his satisfaction at again seeing me, at the same time said, that if 
he cou}d forward my views in any way, he would feel piost happy 
jn doing so. 



51 

make my way to the hospital, along 1 with an officer 
who now made up to me. This officer had his arm 
almost shot off from his shoulder, and it was hanging- 
useless at his side, attached to his body by a mere 
thread. In making our way to the hospital we 
had to see a most melancholy sight — Col. Campbell, 
of our Regiment, lying wounded, having lost one leg 
and the other nearly off. His faithful steed lay ex- 
piring by the side of his master, determined in life 
or in death not to forsake him. A tear fell from my 
eye to behold the good old Colonel — indeed, I may 
truly say, the father of our Regiment — lying helpless 
as an infant, unable to move a joint of his body 
without the most excruciating pain. Alas! a tear 
was the only tribute I had to bestow, "this is sad 
work," I said, to the officer who was with me, on 
seeing around us so many dead and wounded both of 
friends and foes. " True," said he, " but it is the 
fate of war." The enemy fought bravely ; and had 
the Dutch shown the same courage as the French 
and Malays, the British flag would not have been 
seen waving upon the walls of their boasted im- 
pregnable Cornelius. After walking about half an 
hour, we came up with a few pioneers carrying 
masheels and palanquins, to carry the w T ounded men 
from the field of battle to the general hospital. A 
masheel is something like a hammock. It is made 
fast at both ends to long poles, and is generally car- 
ried by four men. A palanquin, on the other hand, 
is formed of thin boards, and is also carried bv men. 



52 

The officer who was along with me, and I, got into 
two of these masheels and away they went with us 
towards the hospital. On coming to the trench we 
had stormed in the morning, my foremost bearers 
stumbled, and I was thrown out and fell into the bot- 
tom of the trench. At first I thought every bone 
in my body had been broken, I was so much shook, 
although, ultimately, I found that I had received 
but little injury. An officer of the 22d Light Dra- 
goons who had observed me fall, struck the bearers 
with the flat of his sword, and that with such right 
good will, that I am sure the effects of it must have 
continued for at least a month after. I felt sorry for 
the poor fellows, as I am sure that what happened 
was purely accidental on their part. I was in a short 
time once more placed in my masheel, and again 
progressed towards the hospital. My bearers, how- 
ever, instead of carrying me to the general hospital, 
landed me at a gentleman's house which had been 
converted into an hospital for those who were most 
severely wounded. Having been placed in a large 
room, I was much shocked to see so many brave fel- 
lows, lying on the floor severely wounded, with two 
or three surgeons cutting and slashing and lopping 
off their limbs. My own wounds being in a bad 
state, I called to one of the surgeons and, asked him 
to examine them. He came forward and began to 
examine the wound in my arm, but while he was in 
the act of doing so three French officers were brought 
in wounded, and he immediately left me, without 



53 

doing any thing for me, in order to attend to these 
officers. You may be sure I did not feel over well 
pleased with this treatment, and began to abuse the 
surgeon sharply for using me in this manner. The 
only answer I received was an order to go down 
to the general hospital, and get my arm amputated. 
This, in my opinion, did not mend matters, and I 
abused him still more than before. There was, how- 
ever, no remedy, and I accordingly set off to find my 
way to the general hospital. I had not proceeded 
far when I was taken into a palanquin, in which I 
was conveyed until I reached the bungalow occupied 
by Major F. of our Regiment, whose servant hailed 
me and took me to the Major, who was anxious to 
hear particulars of the storming of Cornelius, he 
himself not having been present in consequence of 
indisposition. When I came into the Major's pre- 
sence he could scarcely recognize me, I was so cov- 
ered with gore. He asked me if it was all mv own 
blood. I said some part of it was that of our ene- 
mies; but that I was wounded in three different 
places — that we had had dreadful work, the French 
having disputed every inch of ground — and that the 
slaughter had been immense. I felt extremely faint 
from the loss of blood, and told the Major so ; but 
before I could get any assistance, I fell upon the 
floor quite insensible. After I had recovered, the 
Major asked me what occasioned the terrible explo- 
sion which occurred during the storming. I told 
him that it was caused by the blowing up of one of 



54 

the enemy's batteries, which we were about to at- 
tack, and which was blown up by the officer in charge 
of it, to prevent it from falling into our hands. The 
Major then asked if the 78th had suffered much. I 
said that it could not but have suffered severely, al- 
though I could not tell the extent of its loss. I, at 
the same time, mentioned, that I believed Colonel 
Campbell was by that time no more, as I had seen 
him in a dreadfully mangled condition, having one 
of his legs shot off, and the other nearly in the same 
state. He seemed much affected when he under- 
stood that the Regiment had suffered so much, and 
at the loss of the Colonel, and I observed him wiping 
the tears from his eyes. At this time his servant 
entered, and informed the Major that a carriage was 
coming down from the field. He desired the servant 
to go instantly and enquire if it could take W. to the 
general hospital, as it was most probably going 
thither. There were three French officers in the 
carriage, and they very politely made room for me, 
and I was placed in the carriage. One of the officers 
spoke very good English. He told me that he had 
been attacked by three Sepoys, and would most 
certainly have been killed by them, had not a British 
soldier interfered, and at the risk of his own life, saved 
him from their fury. This soldier was, as I afterwards 
learned, a corporal of our Regiment of the name of 
Cooper. We now arrived at the general hospital, 
where we separated. I went into an apartment 
which was crowded with the wounded, and the sur- 



55 

geons busily employed attending to their different 
wants. It was a scene which no one who had 
looked upon could ever forget, and was much too 
shocking for description. The surgeon to whom I 
applied for assistance, belonged to one of the ships 
of war which had accompanied the expedition. He 
immediately attended to me, and having probed the 
wound in my arm, he extracted from it a piece of my 
jacket and shirt and then began to dress it, from 
which I received almost immediate relief. He next 
attended to the w r ound in my thigh, from which he 
extracted a piece of Dutch copper money. I re- 
quested him to give me the piece ; but he would not 
part with it, saying that he wished to show it to the 
Commander-in-Chief. Having dressed the wound 
in my thigh, he applied himself to that in my ancle, 
which he told me was very slight, and that a few davs 
would heal it up. I was then taken to another ward, 
and a bed being got for me, I was put into it and left 
to repose, of which I stood much in need. Yours, 
&c. The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER XVII. 

My Dear Friend, 

Having slept soundly for several hours I awoke 
greatly refreshed. The ward in which I was placed 



56 

might contain between fifty and sixty men more or 
less wounded. Upon casting my eyes about, and 
observing the situation of the poor fellows beside 
me, I could not avoid exclaiming to myself, "is it for 
this end that parents bring up their children, with all 
the tenderness and care that paternal affection can 
bestow. What if, when on its mother's knees, at- 
tempting in childish innocence to lisp out papa and 
mamma, it should be told the parents that that child, 
so fondly loved, would at no distant day leave his 
bones to whiten on the plains of a foreign land ; or 
what is perhaps still worse, return to his native land 
mangled and torn with wounds, a wretched wreck of 
his former self." Would not those parents, in the 
bitterness of their heart, exclaim, "it were better 
for thee, my son, that thou hadst never been born." 
A loud groan here attracted my attention. It pro- 
ceeded from a bed opposite to mine. The soul of 
another brave fellow had winged its way to its last 
account. Another widowed mother had to mourn 
the loss of an only and beloved child. Whilst I was 
ruminating over the fate of this poor fellow, some 
one called me to assist him, as he was bleeding to 
death. I made what haste I could, and went to him, 
and found the sheet of the bed completely saturated 
with blood. I attempted to stop the bleeding by 
binding up the wound tightly with a napkin, but 
without effect — the blood still continuing* to flow. I 
am afraid, my poor fellow, I can do you no good, you 
must have the assistance of the surgeon, and for- 



57 

timately one at this moment came into the ward, 
who immediately applied the necessary remedies to 
stop the bleeding. His wound, however, afterwards 
mortified, and the man had to get his leg ampu- 
tated. Shortly after, I was startled by a piercing 
shriek from some one in the ward. It proceeded 
from a wounded man who had some how or other 
fallen from his bed upon the floor. In consequence 
of the fall, his wound burst open afresh, and before 
any assistance could be procured he bled to death. 

The next morning I awoke considerably refreshed, 
and although my wounds felt stiff and sore I was 
sufficiently recovered to allow of my going out of 
doors. I accordingly went out and directed my steps 
towards a river that run by the back of the hospital. 
The scene, however, was not one calculated to com- 
pose my agitated spirits, as the river, which was much 
swollen, was almost covered with the dead bodies of 
men and horses. I therefore turned from the sight, 
and directed my steps elsewhere; but it seemed 
that nothing but melancholy objects should meet 
my view, as I now came to the place where graves 
were preparing for the reception of the bodies 
of twelve of my fellow soldiers, who had died in the 
hospital of their wounds. Finding nothing in the 
surrounding scene at all adapted to cheer my troubled 
mind, I returned once more to my apartment in the 
hospital. Amongst those who had died of their 
wounds, and for whom the graves were preparing, 
I found three belonging to the 78th. At the death 



58 

of two of them, I was not at all surprised, their wounds 
Were so bad; but I was a good deal astonished at the 
death of the other, as I thought his wounds were slight* 
He himself, however, had always a presentiment that 
he would die in the Island of Java, and nothing could 
drive the idea out of his head. The day before he 
died, thinking he was doing well, I began to joke him 
upon it, and said I hoped he was now convinced that 
he was wrong in his idea that he would die at the 
taking of Java. He said to me, stop until to-morrow 
and you will see whether I am wrong or not. My 
old opponent G. also died in the hospital at this time 
of the wounds which he had received at the taking 
of Cornelius, thus by his death wiping away the stig- 
ma of cowardice. Although this man had been the 
cause of my being reduced from the rank of a Ser- 
jeant, I felt sorry for his death. The wound which 
he had received was in the knee, and the surgeon 
wished to amputate his leg, but he would not con- 
sent. A locked jaw ensued, which caused his death. 
Scarcely a day passed at this time without some one 
falling a victim, either of the wounds they had 
received or of dysentery, which at that time pre- 
vailed, to a considerable extent, amongst the troops ; 
and there were not a few whose deaths were brought 
on by their own intemperance and dissipation. 

To those who were in a fair way of recovery, the 
rations allowed in the hospital were by no means 
sufficient. A few of us, therefore, clubbed together 
to get an additional allowance, but nothing was 



59 

permitted to enter the hospital without being in- 
pected by the serjeant of the guard. We, however, 
contrived to get what we wanted, through the instru- 
mentality of one of our number who swam the river 5 
which flowed immediately at the back of the hos- 
pital, going out and coming in again at a back door ; 
but we had not continued to enjoy ourselves in this 
way many days, when some one envious of our enjoy- 
ment gave information to the visiting surgeon, who 
took occasion to make his rounds a good deal earlier 
than usual, and found me busy preparing for our 
mess. Observing what I was about, he came up to 
me, and perceiving a strong smell of arrack, he kicked 
the kettle from off the fire, threw it into the river, 
and walked aw T ay. I then went down along the side 
of the river, expecting that the kettle would be 
stopped by some brushwood about fifty paces below, 
and in this I was not mistaken, and I soon got it out 
again. We continued to enjoy ourselves for a con- 
siderable time longer, but our money at last began 
to fail, and we were obliged to put ourselves on half 
allowance. A few 7 days before our money was wholly 
spent, we were a second time caught by the visiting 
surgeon who, with a few oaths, took the kettle from 
its place, poured its contents upon the ground, and 
then smashed it to pieces. I could not stand the 
loss cooly, and I spoke out very freely to the sur- 
geon about his conduct, for which he threatened to 
report me. However he did not do so. Not long 
after this, Lord Minto with his staff visited the hos-? 



66 

pital. He inquired at each man in our ward how he 
was getting on, and if he had any complaint to make. 
There was not a single individual who did not com- 
plain of the smallness of his rations, and that there 
was neither arrack nor wine served out to them; and 
as it fortunately was dinner-time when his Lordship 
was with us, we were enabled to exhibit the scanti- 
ness of our allowance. His Lordship immediately 
ordered that we should, in future, have double our 
former allowance, and each man to have half a pint 
of wine per day. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER XVIII. 

My Dear Friend, 

From the foregoing detail you will perceive 
that the life of a soldier, at least when on active ser- 
vice, is not that life of idleness which many are apt 
to suppose. Indeed there are few who enter the 
army who have any proper idea of the nature of the 
service. Very many, I believe, enter from no other 
motive than idleness and a disinclination to work ; 
but they are not long in finding out their mistake. 
The hardships which these afterwards encounter is 
nothing more than what they deserve. 



61 

About a week after the event mentioned in my 
last letter, our Regiment received orders to embark 
at Batavia for a place called Sourabaya. Previous to 
our embarkation we were to receive our arrears of 
pay. Although I was wounded, and in the mean- 
time disabled from service, I knew I was entitled to 
my arrears of pay as well as the others; but although 
it wanted only two days of the embarkation there 
was no appearance of a settlement taking place. I 
therefore requested, and obtained from the Doctor, 
a pass to go to the place where the regiment was sta- 
tioned, which was about two miles further up the 
country. I went directly to the officer of my com- 
pany to enquire of him if I was to get my arrears of 
pay, and if so, at what time they were to be paid; 
and in answer, he informed me I would be paid that 
evening. Upon that assurance I departed from him, 
and went to seek out some of my old comrades to spend 
an hour or two with them, before their departure to 
Sourabaya. We had been but a short time together, 
when a Serjeant of the cogipany came in and told me 
that I was to be taken to the guard house and con- 
fined by order of the Lieut. I inquired what crime 
I was accused of. He said of insolence to the Lieut. ; 
and that I was not solitary, for that two other men, of 
the names of Harvey and Munroe, were also accused 
of the same crime, and likewise ordered to be con- 
fined. I was immediately marched to the guard house, 
and, along with the other two, consigned to durance 
vile for the remainder of that day and the ensuing 



62 

night. The next morning the Regiment was paraded 
to witness the punishment of a man who had been 
sentenced to he flogged. It is usual on these occa- 
sions to bring out all the prisioners who are confined 
either in the guard house or black hole to witness 
the punishment. Of course, Harvey, Munro and I 
were brought out on this occasion. Colonel Lindsay, 
who then commanded the Regiment, when he saw us 
brought out as prisoners, came forward and asked for 
what offence we had been put into confinement. I 
said I was not aware that I ' had committed any of- 
fence that deserved confinement in the black hole 
for twenty-four hours. " By whose authority were 
you confined in the black hole ?" asked Colonel 
Lindsay. " By Lieutenant M'Kenzie's," I replied* 
The Colonel then called for Lieutenant M'Kenzie, 
and asked him what offence I had committed. 
M'Kenzie cooly replied that he knew nothing about 
it ; but that the sergeant who had put me in confine- 
ment would, perhaps, be able to answer the question. 
The sergeant being called said, that he had confined 
Harvey, Munro and W. by order of Lieutenant 
M'Kenzie, for insolence towards him. M'Kenzie 
said, the sergeant was wrong. He had desired him 
to put Harvey and Munro, but not W. into confine- 
ment, for insolence to him when asking for their 
arrears of pay. Upon this statement the Colonel 
ordered us all three to return to the hospital, and 
told us that our arrears of pay would be sent us that 
ni^ht. I thereupon told the Colonel, that as I had 



03 

been confined without a cause, I would not allow 
the matter to drop, but that 1 would acquaint the 
General with the harsh usage I had met with from 
Lieutenant M'Kenzie. The Colonel then turned to 
the Lieutenant, and said " M ; Kenzie, I am afraid 
this will turn out a bad business for you. It was 
highly improper to order a wounded man to be con- 
fined in the black hole, more especially as he had 
not, by your own confession, committed any offence. 
I am afraid a General Court Martial will be the 
result." Upon this I came away along with my two 
fellow sufferers, and returned to the hospital. Ac- 
cording to promise, that evening we received the full 
amount of our arrears of pay. Next day Colonel 
Lindsay and Lieutenant M'Kenzie came to me in 
the hospital, when the Colonel said to me " I hope 
W. you will think no more about the mistake that 
was committed in confining you, and allow T it to rest 
as it is without acquainting the General, as the 
Regiment, is much esteemed by the General, and I 
would wish to avoid anything that might tend to 
lower it in his opinion. You know I have always 
been your friend, and if you allow the matter to drop 
you shall not repent it." I agreed to the Colonel's 
request, and gave up all idea of reporting the Lieut, 
to the General. The Colonel said to me, "when you 
are fit to do duty in the Regiment you shall be 
replaced in your former rank." 

Two days after the transactions above noticed had 
taken place, I found the wound in my arm getting 



64 

more painful than formerly, and much swollen. The 
surgeon upon examining it, ordered a rice poultice to 
be applied to it ; still I found no relief, in fact, the 
pain was greatly increased. A consultation was held 
by the medical gentlemen, and it seemed to be the 
general opinion that amputation would be necessary. 
One of the surgeons, however, said that he could, 
by an operation, save the arm, if I would trust my- 
self to his care. I very thankfully accepted his 
offer, and submitted myself to his direction. He 
immediately commenced operations and laid open 
the wound by cutting out a piece of putrified flesh. 
The wound, when thus laid open, was by no means 
an agreeable sight, and I will not trouble you with 
a description of its loathsome appearance. Red 
precipitate was then applied to the wound, which 
caused me great pain for some time, but in the course 
of forty-eight hours, after the wound was thus cleansed 
and properly dressed, I began to experience much re- 
lief, and from day to day thereafter, my arm continued 
to mend, although it never has, as yet, been entirely 
cured. I could never attribute the bad state my 
wound had got into, to any other cause than the cold, 
caught on the night I was confined in the black hole : 
and when the kind of place I was confined in is con- 
sidered, the consequences to me are not much to be 
wondered at. The black hole or dungeon in which 
I was incarcerated was underneath the guard house, 
about six feet deep, entirely under ground, and quite 
impervious to the light, and we had not even a little 



65 

Straw allowed us to keep our bodies from coming 
in contact with the damp and noxious earth, when 
we lay down to rest. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioneb. 



LETTER XIX. 

My Dear Friend, 

I shall now give you a narrative of the events 
that occured at the taking of the Island of Java, 
subsequent to my being wounded. The enemy 
being driven from all their batteries and entrench- 
ments at the point of the bayonet, retreated to Cor- 
nelius ; but not so quickly but that the British were 
enabled to enter it at the same time and to drive 
them from that, their last retreat, which they had 
deemed impregnable. The enemy again drew up in 
order of battle, in rear of the fortress. The Com- 
mander-in-Chief of the British army, called out his 
whole disposable force in order, once more to give 
battle to the enemy. When preparing to march 
forward for that purpose, a flag of truce was seen 
advancing, who brought an offer of capitulation from 
the French Commander, which was accepted of* 
By the capitulation the French soldiers became 
prisoners of war, the officers being put on their 
parole, whilst the Dutch and Malays were allowed ta 



66 

return to their homes. We thus, in a comparatively 
short period of time, were enabled to wrest from 
French usurpation one of the finest Islands of the 
East. This, however, was not accomplished without 
a very serious loss on the part of Great Britain, both 
of blood and treasure. 

When the conquest had been completed, an order 
was issued by the Commander-in-Chief that all the 
wounded soldiers should be inspected by a medical 
board; that those who were unfit for farther duty 
were to be invalided, and those who were not con- 
sidered unfit for service were to continue with their 
respective Regiments. The wounded of our Regi- 
ment were ordered to embark at Batavia, for 
Sourabaya, to join the Regiment which lay there. In 
ten days after our embarkation, we landed at our 
destined port and joined our Regiment; but few of 
us did any more duty in the corps. We had nothing 
to do but to enjoy ourselves as we pleased. Th3" 
town of Sourabaya, where we were now quartered, 
contained about eighteen hundred inhabitants, con- 
sisting of Dutch, Malays and Chinese. The former 
are a phlegmatic and reserved set of people, extremely 
cleanly in their habits. The Chinese are of a more 
lively turn of mind. They are much addicted to 
gambling — chess and cock-fighting are their constant 
amusements. They are notorious cheats; and it 
may be truly said, that a European has but one eye 
while a Chinese has two. There is no set of people 
in the East who have more cunning and duplicity ; 



67 

and they make it an invariable rule to cheat where 
it can be possibly done. Their complexion is of a 
yellowish hue, and their eyes are deep sunk in the 
head, which makes them appear as being half shut. 

I shall now endeavour to give you an account of 
some of the notions which these people entertain 
respecting the Deity, and of their account of the 
Fall of Man. 

The religion of the Chinese is Pagan ; but the 
ideas they have concerning the Deity are greatly 
superior to most other Pagans. The books, which, as 
I was informed, treat of their religion are Chu-King, 
Siang, Sang- y- King, Takis, with a few more which 
it is unneccessary to mention. They have a belief 
in more gods than one. The Supreme God they 
name Chang-tee, Tien, and sometimes Yao. In one 
of their books it is written that " Chang-tee is a self- 
existent unity, who is present every where, and who 
produces all things by his own power. He is from 
all eternity without interruption. He is uncreated 
and new. He is the source of all motion and the 
root of all action. If it be asked what he does, he is 
eternally active. If you would know where he is, he 
exists every where." In another of their books it is 
said, "that the heaven and the earth are of an immense 
height, yet they have figure, colour, number and quan-r 
titv." Again, if one should ask how all these things 
came, the answer is, "that all were made by the great 
God who is the origin of all created substances, 
whether they be heavenly or whether they pertain to 



68 

the world we live in. He who knows this Sovereign 
Being, knows much ; and he who knows not him, 
knows nothing. God is so high, that he cannot be 
reached,, — so profound, that he cannot be fathomed, — 
so immense, that he cannot be measured, — immutable, 
and cannot change, — indivisble, without part or 
form; yet he exists entirely every where; even in the 
minutest thing in creation. It was this Almighty 
Being who produced the mountains and the great 
deep, — who makes the animals walk, — the birds 
fly, — the sun shine, — and the stars move, and holds 
the earth in his hands." In the book called Y-King, 
it is said that Chang-tee, or Sovereign Lord, is just 
and good, full of mercy and love for his creatures ; — 
that his justice is love and his punishments are mer- 
cies. That when the hour of executing his decrees 
arrives, none will be able to resist him. He will then 
show that when he punishes he is just and good, and 
that he never acts from vindictiveness nor hatred. 
To render the good happy and to punish the wicked, 
is his constant rule ; and when he punishes he only 
seems to be in wrath, for justice demands the punish- 
ment of the violator of the laws of nature." In the 
book called Chu-King, it is written, " that besides 
the Supreme God their is a being who is said to be 
the minister of Chang-tee, and is called the holy saint. 
His different names are Vinwang, the prince of 
peace ; Chingin, the divine man ; Changgin, god- 
man; Tien-tee-song, the sovereign lord; Kiun-tee, 
son of the King ; Kigin, son of Heaven. The 



69 

saint or great man, wants in himself all the virtues of 
heaven and earth* The saint made the heavens; the 
great man made the universe. Tien is the saint 
without a voice, — the saint is Tien speaking with the 
human voice. The heart of the Sovereign Lord is 
in the breast of the saint. The counsels and the 
rebukes of Heaven are in the mouth of the saint. 
He has the form of a man ; and the heaven and the 
earth are united in him. He has the form of a man, 
but is without his passions." In the book called 
Siang-Sang, it is said that "the Divine Man made the 
heaven and the earth and all created intelligence, 
and that he existed from everlasting." In the Chi- 
King, it is stated that " it is he who converts the 
hearts, — and is the beginning of all things ; — that he 
is expected to appear in this world and will establish 
it in righteousness. When he comes into this world 
he will labour much and suffer much ; he must pass 
the great torrent whose waves will enter into his soul. 
That he alone can offer up to Chang-te the sacrifice 
worthy of him." In the same book, it is said that "the 
people sacrifice their lives for bread ; but the saint 
sacrifices his life for the world. He asks nothing for 
himself — he seeks only the happiness of others ; — he 
enriches others, but impoverishes himself; he loses 
himself to save mankind. The Lord will restore man 
to his primitive virtue. Vinwang, the prince of 
Peace, alone knows how to love his brethren. Yao 
has enriched him with all his riches : and has given 
him the universe for a recompense. The Lord said 



70 

to Vinwang, ascend to the sacred mountain and dra\* 
all the world after you. Conquer the rebels who 
dispute my sovereign will. Arm thyself with my 
wrath, display my standard, draw out my troops, res- 
tore peace every where, and fix the happiness of thy 
empire. Vinwang gained the summit of the moun- 
tain and the rebellious spirits fled to the caverns — 
the mountain of the Lord was no place for them. 
Living waters, running pure from the fountain, became 
the property of Vinwang and his followers, to quench 
their thirst. Vinwang has chosen the mountain for 
his abode ; and thither must all the faithful nations 
of the earth go." 

The account of the Fall of Man is thus given in 
their books: — "When the first man and woman had 
been created they were placed upon the mountain 
above spoken of. The mountain was at that time 
extremely fruitful ; but by the apostacy of the first 
pair, it was rendered barren and unfruitful." The 
following is the lamentation of Vinwang on account 
of the fall : — " Tinwang (the name of the first man) 
has plunged us into numberless miseries — he. is the 
cause of the unfruitfulness of this formerly delightful 
country — he hath overturned our house — he hath 
filled our country with thorns and briars — our misery 
will last for many ages — the mountain is lost for a 
long period of time — vice will overcome all like a 
mortal poison. We possessed fertile fields and fruit- 
ful seasons, now all is lost, Oh ! Tinwang, what hast 
thou done ? But Tinwang says, he could not help 



71 

it, — it was Foeasee, his wife, who did it. She hated 
innocence and loved vice — by her ambition to gain 
knowledge she has destroyed the bulwarks I had 
raised- to protect us — our misery has not come from 
Tien, but from a woman. Ah ! unhappy Poeasee, 
you have kindled the conflagration which will con- 
sume us. On me let Tien pour out his vengeance; I 
am to blame. One of the degraded spirits hath 
deceived me, and I am undone. But Vinwang, full 
of mercy and pity, hath said that after many ages 
he will destroy the destroyer Chong-chong. This 
rebellious and perverse dragon shall suffer for his 
pride and presumption. His ambition blinded him. 
He would have mounted up to heaven, but I threw 
him down to the abyss below. At first his abode 
was in the high places ; but he forgot himself, and he 
lost eternal life. That night when he fell, the stars 
lost their accustomed lustre. Ten suns were then 
seen in the heavens that pretended to enlighten the 
celestial sphere. Yas ordered Vinwang to pierce 
them with his darts. He wounded nine ; and nine 
ravens, that dwelt in them, had their wings clipped. 
Yas ordered one of the celestial spirits to drive 
Chong-chong into the black valley of misery. — « 
Tchi-y-con, another of the degraded spirits, raised 
a great storm and endeavoured to rob the celestial 
army of all light. Te-wang, however, bound him to 
his chariot." It is further stated in the same book, 
that " Chong-chong has the face of a man, with the 
body of a serpent, and that he is all lies and deceit, 



72 

This degraded being disputed empire with the 
Sovereign Lord of the universe ; and, while raging 
with fury, he struck his head against a mountain ; in 
consequence the pillars of heaven were broken, and 
thus the position of the earth became oblique." In 
the book called Chu-King, it is said that " the soul 
of man was originally luminous, but that it became 
obscured after the apostacy of the first pair." It also 
states that "when any one supposes himself possessed 
of virtue, it is a sure indication that he is altogether 
without it : the truly wise and virtuous are always 
humble, and believe themselves incapable of any 
good or virtuous action, although always ardent in 
their aspirations after good, as if they thought them- 
selves capable of performing every good action." The 
Sovereign Lord, addressing Vinwang, said, " I love 
a pure and single spirit like thine. It makes no 
noise — it does not dazzle from without — it is not fro- 
ward nor proud. In seeing thee, one would say that 
thou hast no light or knowledge. Thou, however, 
conformest thyself to my orders. I hate the proud ; 
but I love the humble. I shall always dwell in thy 
heart, for thou art all loveliness." Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XX. 

My Dear Friend, 

You ask me if I ever had an opportunity of 
seeing any of the Chinese females, and in answer -I 



73 

may state, that on one occasion I did get a sight of 
some of these females, I shall now relate to you my 
adventures on the occasion in question. 

One evening while strolling along the banks of the 
Jacara river, which flows pleasantly past the town of 
Sourabaya I met two of my comrades, who asked 
me to go along with them and partake of a glass of 
arrack. After a little hesitation I agreed to do so, 
and accordingly w r ent along w T ith them. We had no 
difficulty in finding a grog shop, and in we went. 
Having drunk a couple of glasses each, one of my 
companions, who was rather of an amorous disposition 
and at the same time a little of a wag, proposed that 
we should endeavour to pick up a Chinese sweetheart 
a-piece, that evening, I said that would be rather 
difficult, as the Chinese females never were to be 
seen by Europeans. He said he would ask the land- 
lord to put us upon a plan. He accordingly called 
the landlord and put the question to him. " Yes, yes 
Mynheer," replied the landlord, "you shall see de 
Chinese frow." Having paid our reckoning we sallied 
forth upon our adventures accompanied by our Dutch 
landlord. We had not proceeded far when a house 
was pointed out to us by our guide, as one where we 
would meet with what w T e wanted. The house was 
surrounded by a w r all, composed partly of stone and 
partly of mud. We could get no entrance by the 
door. Our only alternative then, was to make an 
attempt to scale the wall, and the Dutchman having 
procured a ladder for us, we all, with the exception 



74 

of himself who left us, mounted the wall at the 
lowest part. Having got to the top, we perceived 
within a square court, five females, two of them 
with children in their arms. They did not seem 
to be at all alarmed or displeased at our appear- 
ance, but came forward and began speaking and 
laughing ; but we could not understand one word of 
what they said. It was now proposed by one of my 
companions that we should descend into the court. 
I objected to this; but it was of no use, for down the 
other two would v go. They hauled up the ladder 
from the outside and placed it inside the wall to 
enable them to descend to where the females were. 
The two then descended, and I remained upon the 
wall as a sentry. It was certainly amusing to hear the 
parties talking to each other all at the same time 
without the one being able to comprehend the other* 
The one who was the first proposer of the frolic, had a 
wooden leg, and he carried a large stick, in order that 
he might the better keep his balance, and it was cer- 
tainly a laughable sight to see him stumping along with 
one of the Chinese girls waddling after him, holding by 
his arm. She pointed out the different fruit trees to 
him, and made signs to him to eat. The difficulty, 
however, was to get at the fruit; at last they resolved 
to make use of the ladder. When they came for it, 
they found that I had taken it up, and refused to let 
it go for the purpose they wanted. At last, however, 
they persuaded me not only to allow the ladder to go, 
but also to join them in the garden. We then began 



75 

to gather the fruit, of which we eat abundantly. One 
of my companions endeavoured to make love to one 
of the girls in the best manner he could ; and in the 
course of his attempt, he kissed her repeatedly which 
caused the other girls to laugh very heartily. In the 
midst of our enjoyment a male servant, belonging to 
the family, made his appearance, and snatching up a 
piece of a bamboo hurried towards us, brandishing 
his stick, aimed a blow at the head of the one who 
had been kissing the girl; but he warded off the 
blow, and immediately knocked the fellow down, who 
roared out most loudly in his own language, something 
which I think signified "murder" Immediately upon 
the appearance of the servant, the girls hobbled off as 
fast as their little feet would carry them. We also 
considered it high time for us to retreat. We, there- 
fore, with the assistance of the ladder, got once more 
into the street, and got off, leaving the ladder behind 
us, making the best of our way to the old Dutch- 
man's house, where we took another glass to refresh 
ourselves after our frolic. The Dutchman, after we 
had told him our adventures, laughed very heartily, 
and said, " you English are de tevil for de frow." 
The owner of the place where we had our frolic, who 
was a Chinese merchant, went to the commanding 
officer and complained; stating, that three soldiers 
had entered his premises, over the wall, with the 
intention of carrying off his daughters, and that they 
had nearly killed one of his servants, and that he 
wished them to be punished. The officer desired 



76 

him to go amongst the men, and pick out the guilty 
ones, and he would punish them severely. This he 
could not do as he had never seen us, and he was 
obliged to go away very much dissatisfied. It was 
pretty well known in the Regiment who were the 
transgressors, and many a laugh it created afterwards 
amongst officers and privates. 

The Chinese women are of very small stature, and 
whiter in the complexion than the men. Their feet 
are also very small. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XXL 

My Dear Friend, 

The Island of Java contains some millions of 
inhabitants, but the exact number I cannot tell. The 
original inhabitants go under the name of Javanese, 
and they are idolaters. Besides the Javanese there 
are numbers of Malays, Chinese, Portugese, and dif- 
ferent other kinds of people. The Dutch are masters 
of the whole Island, and subject all the other inhabi- 
tants to taxation. The Malays profess the religion of 
Mahomet ; but they are not so strict in their religious 
observances as the Turks. They perform frequent 
ablutions either in the rivers or baths. They observe 
their fasts by abstaining from meats from sunrise till 



77 

sunset. They avoid intoxicating liquors, but are 
immoderate in the use of opium, which they take as 
a substitute. They circumcise their children at the 
age of thirteen. They are, generally speaking, 
remarkably sedate in their manner, and speak very 
little. A Frenchman will speak more in one day 
than a Malay will do in a week. The Malay in per- 
sonal appearance, is handsome, of a stout make, but 
of a gloomy and ferocious physiognomy, and jealousy 
is a predominant passion. Should the wife of a Ma- 
lay give her husband cause to suspect her inconstan- 
cy, he never rests till he finds out the paramour. 
He then intoxicates himself with a composition of 
opium, takes his poisoned cress or dagger, and off he 
starts for the abode of the unfortunate wretch who is 
the object of his vengeance. It is no matter what 
the distance may be, or whether it is in town or 
country. Having found the object of his wrath, he 
plunges the deadly weapon into his breast or throat 
It has occurred in Java, that a whole family has fallen 
a sacrifice to the jealous fury of one man. The act 
is called the running of the Muke. "Whenever it 
becomes known to the Dutch police, that such a 
thing is to take place, a strict watch is set upon the 
person who is suspected, and when he sets out on his 
mission of death he is followed, and before he has 
time to do any mischief, he gets his brains knocked 
out. 

Peace was once more established in the island, 
and every thing restored to its former quiet. The 



78 

women who had been left at Goa, now arrived at 
Sourabaya; but not a few of them were fated to find 
their husbands numbered with the dead. You may, 
perhaps, suppose that those women who had lost 
their husbands were rendered very wretched and were 
much to be pitied, but it is not so. The scenes to 
which they become accustomed, in following the army, 
too often deadens the feelings and renders them quite 
callous. Indeed many of them, in less than a month 
after their arrival, were married again. Although 
this is generally the case, it does not always apply ; 
and it often happens that there are amongst them, 
some who are truly wretched. One instance I will 
relate. Upon the landing of the women at Sourabaya, 
there was one who was looking anxiously around for 
her husband, and not seeing him she said to one of 
the soldiers, whom she knew to be a comrade of her 
husband, "where is O'Neil that he does not come to 
welcome me, and press to his heart this dear child 
whom he has never seen ?" He could not answer 
her; but a tear which bedimed his bronzed cheek 
was too sure an indication that he could not satisfy her 
of the safety of her husband. The poor woman too 
well understood from his silence, that her husband, 
the father of her infant, was no more. She, with 
a piercing cry, fell into the arms of the soldier, in a 
state of total insensibility, from which she recovered 
after a short interval, to a full sense of the reality of 
her affliction. Another scene occurred at this time, 
but of a mirthful character. An old female cam- 



79 

paigner came forward from amongst the females, cry- 
ing out " whare is my man, I ken he is no killed yet, 
for mony a battle he has been in and aye cam aff hale 
scart?" "Here, 1 am," cried a good old soldier 
belonging to the Rifles, bouncing forward from among 
the crowd, and pointing at the same time to his 
wooden leg, "the French, you see, have put me 
under the necessity of using a timbef-toe for the rest 
of my life." " Weel, thank God," said the old 
woman, " I hae wished for this these twenty years. 
Faith, Johnny lad, I'll get you back to Glasgow 
soon; forby you'll get a gude pension as lang as you 
live." She was very right in her anticipation of a 
good pension, as he received two shillings and one 
penny half-penny a day, his service having been long 
in India. Another occurrence, very different from 
either of the foregoing, now took place. A soldier 

of the name of F came forward, and said very 

cooly to his wife, "where are my children?" Two 
children then stept forward, whom he carressed in a 
most affectionate manner, and taking one in each hand 
went towards the barracks, followed by his wife abus- 
ing him all the way in most unmeasured terms. The 
reason of this strange conduct of the man towards 
his wife, I was afterwards given to understand by 
himself, to have been as follows : — Having served for 
a number of years in the 73d Regt. he, through the 
influence of General Agnew, received his discharge. 
He soon after went to Madras and set up business ai 
a tailor. He had not, been long settled there, when 



80 

he had reason to suspect his wife of infidelity to the 
irarriage vow. In order, if possible, to acquire proof 
that his suspicions were correct, he told his wife that 
he was under the necessity of going to a place fifteen 
miles from Madras, and that he would not return for 
a day or two. He then left the house, as if to proceed 
on his journey. He returned, however, late in the even- 
ing, and having quietly gained admission to the house, 
he proceeded to his wife's bedroom, where he found 
her in bed with another man. He very cooly desired 
the man to get up and leave the house; which he im- 
mediately did. He then addressed his guilty wife, and 
told her that the connexion which had existed between 
them was virtually dissolved by her improper conduct, 
and that she could not expect to live any longer with 
him. He remained that night and the night following 
in the house, and having received what money was due 
to him by his customers, which, with what he was 
before possessed of, made a good round sum, he 
departed in a country vessel for Bombay. Having 
landed and taken up his abode in that city, he began 
to frequent low gambling houses, and in a short time 
he was stript of every rupee. He had now no resource 
but to enlist, and accordingly he once more became 
a soldier in the 78th Regiment. His quondam wife 
having heard where he was now to be found, sold all 
of which she was possessed and embarked with her 
children, four girls and one boy, in order to join him. 
The vessel in which she embarked from Madras took 
fire, and their being no chance of saving it, the boat* 



81 

were lowered in order to endeavour to save the 
passengers and crew. The Lieutenant took the 
woman's two eldest children in the boat with him. 
The rest of the passengers and a few of the crew- 
were with the Captain. During the first night the 
boats lost sight of each other, and on the third 
morning, a country vessel passing, took on board the 
Captain, and those who were in the boat with him, 
and arrived safe at Bombay, The other boat was 
never heard of afterwards, and, without doubt, must 

have gone to the bottom. Mrs. F having come 

to the barracks where her husband was, burst into 
tears, saying, she had not been to bin me for what 
occurred, but was entirely owing to the fellow's mixing 
some deleterious inoredients in a glass of brandy she 
had drunk, which caused her to fall asleep, and in 
which state she had remained until found by her 

husband, as before mentioned. F being of an 

easy disposition forgave her, expecting that, at least 
for the future, she would behave herself; but he was 
mistaken. She was and continued to be a drunkard, 
and a notorious shrew, and, to all appearance, likely 
to get worse instead of better. She died six months 
after joining her husband at Sourabaya, and he him- 
self a few months after her. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



82 



LETTER XXII. 



My Dear Friend, 

In my last, I gave you an account of a wife 
who was a disgrace to her sex; but, that you may not 
suppose that all our women were equally bad, I will 
now give you an anecdote of one who was universally 
reckoned an excellent wife. Her husband was a 
corporal in the Regt. to which I belonged, and they 
were remarkably attached to each other, as well 
as to their family, which consisted of three boys, the 
eldest about ten years of age. Two blackguards, 
envious of a happiness they were incapable of appre- 
ciating, were determined to destroy it. Having pro- 
cured a quantity of laudanum, they mixed it with 
some arrack, and proceeded to the place where the 
family resided, and with professions of friendship, 
gave a glass of the mixture to both the husband and 
the wife. The husband drank off his glass; but the 
wife put hers aside, saying, she would take it before 
going to bed. She, however, did not do so, be- 
ing very much averse to drink of all kinds. After 
they had given the drink, they went off and remain- 
ed outside the barrack until midnight, when they 
returned to the apartments of their victims, fully 
expecting that the dose they had administered would 



83 

have taken due effect. They found the parties fast 
asleep, when they attempted to take some indecent 
liberties with the female, which immediately awoke 
her up. She called to her husband for assistance 
but he was so much overcome with the mixture that 
had been administered to him, that she could not 
awake him. She, however, continued to call for 
assistance, and fortunately was enabled to be heard 
by a person who slept within a short distance of her, 
who came to her assistance. One of the fellows was 
seized and carried to the guard house ; but the other 
contrived to make his escape, and could not be 
identified, although a strong suspicion rested upon a 
certain individual. The doctor was called to the hus- 
band, and with some difficulty he was aroused from the 
lethargy he had been thrown into. The glass of the 
mixture which had been given to the woman,' but 
which she had not drunk, was examined by the doc- 
tor, who declared that a very little more of the lau- 
danum would have been sufficient to have killed them. 
The fellow who had been caught was tried by a Court 
Martial, and sentenced to receive nine hundred lash- 
es, a punishment which was duly inflicted without any 
one bestowing upon him the smallest degree of pity, 
he having acted such a villanous part towards an indi- 
vidual who was so much respected amongst the men 
generally. The villain who escaped although he 
could not be properly identified, was pretty well 
known. It would naturally be supposed, that the 
punishment of his partner in iniquity, would have 



84 

operated as a check upon him, and have induced him 
to abstain from further deviations from rectitude; but 
this was not the case, as will be seen in the sequel. 

About a fortnight after the occurrence above 
related, Mrs. W. had occasion to put out some 
clothes to bleach upon the rock on which the barracks 
stood. Having finished her task, she remained for a 
few minutes, gazing at the sea which was dashing 
against the foot of the rock. She then turned 
towards the barracks, with the intention of returning 
to her apartment, when she was confronted by the 
villian who was suspected of being an accomplice 
in the last attempt upon her. He attempted some 
incivilities towards her which she resisted, at the 
same time ordering him to leave her. This he 
would not do, and said, that although it should 
cost him his life he would proceed. He then endeav- 
oured to throw her down ; she resisted to the utmost 
of her power, and cried for assistance. Finding he 
could not prevail, he took a knife from his pocket, 
and having unclasped it, threatened, that if she did 
not comply with his desires he would stab her, and 
throw her body over the rock ; but she cried out still 
more loudly. Her cries at last attracted the atten- 
tion of the Serjeant- Major, who hurried towards the 
spot, but before he reached it, the villain had inflicted 
three mortal wounds upon the body with his knife. 
Seeing no chance of escape, he threw himself over 
the rock into the sea, still retaining the knife in his 
hand. The Serjeant- Major descended the rock by 



85 

a winding path, and when he had reached the foot. 
seeing the fellow struggling in the water, he dashed 
in after him and brought him to land. He then 
wrenched the knife from his hand, and compelled 
him to re-ascend the rock. A short time before the 
Serjeant- Major returned from the pursuit of the cul- 
prit, I had occasion to pass the place where the poor 
woman lay weltering in her blood, and groaning most 
piteously. She had just time to tell me how she 
had come to be in that sate, and who had done it, 
when the Serjeant- Major made his appearance with 
his prisoner, and he ordered me to proceed instantly 
to the barracks to acquaint her husband with what 
had happened, and to procure assistance. I went 
directly and procured a palanquin and bearers, into 
which the woman was put and carried to the hospi- 
tal, where the doctor examined the wounds, two of 
which he pronounced to be mortal, one being in the 
abdomen. A Court of Enquiry was summoned by 
our Commanding Officer; when the woman's affi- 
davit was taken, as well as that of the Serjeant- 
Major, myself and others. That same evening 
the woman died. The murderer was strictly con- 
fined, and a sentry placed at his door; yet, notwith- 
standing every precaution, he contrived to get a rusty 
nail with which he attempted to cut his throat ; but 
the sentry observing what he was about, called for 
assistance, and thus prevented him from accomplish- 
ing his purpose. He was afterwards handcuffed^ 
When he was asked his reason for committing such a 



86 

bloody deed, he would sometimes answer, that it was 
not from hatred to the woman ; and as for his own 
life he was quite indifferent how soon he lost it. At 
other times he would say, that they could not hang 
him, as no one saw him commit the deed. He 
remained in confinement with the Regiment for the 
space of six months; at the expiration of which 
period, the Regiment being ordered upon actual 
service, he was sent to Bombay, where he remained 
in confinement for twelve months. He was then 
tried by the civil authorities, condemned, and subse- 
quently executed. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XXIII. 

My Dear Friend, 

I had always been in the practice of bathing 
when I had opportunity, and found it extremely 
beneficial to health especially in warm climates. It 
was, however, a practice attended with considerable 
danger in the Island of Java, as will appear from what 
follows : — One day when I had gone to bathe, and 
while in the act of taking off my jacket, I perceived 
a young alligator coming towards me, open mouthed. 
Finding no means of avoiding the animal, I had to 
defend myself in the best manner I could from its 



87 

attack. I, therefore, took up a stone, the only wea- 
pon of defence within my reach, and threw it at the 
monster with all the force I could. It struck the 
brute in the mouth, and to my great relief caused 
it to retreat to the water from whence it had issued. 
Had I been in the water before I perceived the alli- 
gator, my chance of escape would have been small 
indeed. I never bathed again while I remained in 
the Island of Java. A few days subseo^ently, two 
of our men who had gone into bathe were destroyed 
by alligators. The fate of these men was much 
deplored. Had they fallen in the field of battle? 
they would not have been so much regretted, as it is 
honorable to die fighting" the battles of our father- 
land; but to be mangled by a set of amphibious 
monsters, was a fate too horrible not to be deeply 
regretted by their surviving comrades. 

About this time our Regiment received an increase 
of two hundred and fifty men, being a draft from the 
second Battalion, which was stationed at home. 

As I have previously mentioned, an order was 
issued by the Commander-in-Chief for the inspection 
of all the w r ounded men, in order that such as were 
incapable of further service might be invalided and 
sent home. The time for the inspection of the 
wounded of our Regiment having arrived, I, of course, 
went along with the others; but I had no sooner 
entered, than our Commanding Officer ordered me 
away, saying that he had something else in View for 
me, and that I must not think of going back to 



88 

Europe for sometime. I remonstrated with him 
saying that I was unable to handle my rifle, but that 
at any rate, as I had been wounded, I had a right to 
be inspected. He again desired me to go away, and 
said that I should know more in the afternoon. 1 
obeyed his orders and went away ; but I was much 
displeased and disappointed at not being allowed to 
be inspected. I was, however, determined not to 
submit without another attempt, and I resolved to 
apply to General Gillespie. In my way to the 
General's house, I met one of our officers who had 
always shown me the greatest kindness. I informed 
him how I had been used by the Commanding 
Officer, and also my intention of applying to General 
Gillespie. He told me that I had too much of the 
spirit of independence about me for a soldier, and 
advised me to be a little more submissive and it 
would be better for me — that Col. Fraser had really 
a respect for me, and was determined to replace me 
in my former rank as serjeant. I told the gentleman 
that I was then on my way to the General's quarters, 
and that I would see him ere half an hour had 
elapsed. Upon this we parted, and I went direct to 
the General's house. Having arrived at General 
Gillespie's and enquired for him, I was ordered in, 
and he enquired what I wanted with him. I told 
him that Colonel Fraser would not permit me to be 
inspected along with the other wounded men, and 
that in consequence, I had come to him for an order 
to the inspecting officers. He then asked me fo 



89 

what reason Col. Fraser refused to allow me to be in- 
spected. I said I believed it to be because he did not 
wish to part with me. The Gen. said he thought 
that the Col. wished to befriend me, and that I ought, 
for my own sake, to obey him. I answered that I 
had reasons for wishing to leave the Regt., (which 
reasons I communicated to the Gen.) and I would be 
obliged by his giving me the order I requested. Gen. 
Gillespie thereupon wrote the order, and I imme- 
diately took my departure, thanking him for his 
kindness. I now went to the Colonel's quarters, and 
having found him alone, I presented the General's 
order. He had no sooner perused it, than he fell into 
a most violent passion, bestowing upon me every 
opprobrious epithet he could possibly think of, and 
asking me how I had had the audacity of applying 
to General Gillespie on the subject. I told him 
that as he had refused to allow me to be inspected, 
I had no other resource but to apply to the General — 
that all I required was justice and what every soldier 
in my situation was entitled to. The Col. then said 
he had every inclination to send me to the guard 
house to cool me a little. I thanked him for his 
intention, but said I thought I had had enough of 
the guard house from Lieut. M'Kenzie, which had 
been the means of rendering my wounds so bad. 
" Have you not forgot that yet?" said the Col. "it 
was all a mistake and you must think no more of it. 
You are now fighting against your own interest ; for 
it is my intention to befriend you, if you remain with 



90 

the Regiment, but if you persist in your desire to 
leave it, you shall go home with the pension of a 
private.' 3 " You can do in that as you please," I 
replied, "but one thing assuredly you cannot do, and 
that is to send me home with the character of a 
coward/' With that expression I left him and I 
never afterwards spoke to him. The day for the 
inspection at last arrived, when I attended, and on 
my name being called I presented myself and under- 
went an examination, and was declared unfit for 
further service, and invalided accordingly. 

About this time a hunting match was proposed by 
a party of the officers; and for that purpose they 
proceeded to a place about fifty miles distant from 
the barracks. For the first two or three days they 
had excellent sport, but upon the fourth day a 
circumstance occurred which ultimate y proved fatal 
to two of them. Upon the morning of that day one 
of the officers was astonished to perceive a number 
of armed men surrounding the place at which they 
were then residing, and which belonged to a Chinese 
magistrate. He immediately called the other three of 
the party, and having informed them of what he had 
seen, they armed themselves and went out. Col. F. 
who was one of the party, asked the person who appear- 
ed to be the chief of the banditti the reason of their 
hostile appearance in that place. He was informed 
in answer that they had come to avenge the death of 
some of their comrades who had been put to death 
by order of the Chinese authorities, at the same time, 



91 

however, he told the Colonel that he, as well as the 
other British officers were at liberty to depart 
unmolested. The Colonel then told him that before 
deciding, he wished to consult the other officers, and 
for that reason he begged of him to delay his attack 
until the evening. To this the chief seemed to 
agree, and immediately two of the officers were 
dispatched by the Colonel to the Major desiring him 
to send the Rifle and Light Companies to his assis- 
tance. The officers got into a canoe, and in five 
hours, the stream being very rapid they reached head 
quarters and made known to the Major the critical 
situation in which they had left Colonel Fraser and 
Captain M'Pherson. The Major ordered the two 
companies above named instantly to take horse and 
proceed to the rescue of their commanding officer 
and Captain M'Pherson. They made all the dispatch 
possible, but ere they arrived, the two brave officers, 
to whose rescue they had come, had fallen victims to 
the fury of the banditti. It appeared from what was 
afterwards learned, that the banditti had broken the 
truce, and soon after the departure of the officers for 
head quarters, commenced an attack upon the house. 
Colonel Fraser and Captain M'Pherson continued to 
fire upon them, from the window 7 , with their fowling 
pieces until all their amunition was exhausted. They 
then sallied forth, sword in hand and fought with 
desperation, until they fell, overpowered by numbers 
and covered with wounds. The robbers then burst 
into the house, murdering all that came in their way, 



92 

and ransacking the house and taking away every thing 
of value. Not a soul belonging to the house escaped, 
with the exception of the eldest son of the proprietor. 
The banditti had not left the scene of action, when 
the soldiers arrived to the rescue ; and, immediately 
upon hearing what had happened, surrounded the 
village, commenced a destructive fire upon the 
robbers and succeeded in destroying about two hun- 
dred of them. One hundred fell alive into the hands 
of the soldiers, and were afterwards executed without 
benefit of clergy. Not one of the soldiers was hurt 
in this affair. Colonel Fraser, who thus fell by the 
hands of a murderous banditti, was a brave and 
veteran soldier. He had entered the army when 
very young and had risen to the rank which he then 
held, solely by his own merit. His only fault was 
the possession of a most fiery and impetuous temper 
which led him into many quarrels, and, as a conse- 
quence, the fighting of many duels. He served under 
the Duke of Wellington in India, and was present at 
the battle of Assaye when the enemy numbered six to 
one of the British. Capt. M'Pherson was likewise a 
brave and meritorious officer. He commenced his 
military career in the second battalion of the 78th 
Regt. and had seen a good deal of service. His mother 
was a widow, and had previously lost three sons in 
the service of their country. These two officers were 
greatly lamented by the Regi., especially from the 
manner in which they met their death. Yours, &c. 
The Commuted Pensioner. 



^, 



93 



LETTER XXIV, 



My Dear Friend, 

Orders were now issued by the Commander- 
in-Chief for the invalids to hold themselves in readi- 
ness to proceed to Batavia. The mode of the 
distribution of the prize money was also there stated, 
with the amount of the share accruing to each rank. 
That of a private was stated at £25 ; but ultimately 
it was reduced to little more than one half. 

Having bid farewell to our friends in the Regi- 
ment, we embarked at Sourabaya, in an old crazy 
brig, more fit to be cut up into firewood than to con- 
vey human beings a distance of about two hundred 
miles. It however, pleased Providence to favour us 
with a fair wind, and after a passage of eight days, 
we cast anchor at Batavia, with the loss of two men, 
who died upon the passage, and whose bodies were 
of course committed to the deep. We were all 
landed without any accident, and without entering 
the town of Batavia, we were marched directly to our 
old cantonments. Next day I, along with a comrade, 
sallied forth upon a cruise towards Batavia. As we 
approached the city, we saw a woman coming towards 
US who had a wooden leg. My comrade hailed her, 



34 

asking in what battle she had lost her leg. As we 
took her for a Dutchwoman, we were not a little 
surprised to hear her answer us in our own language, 
that she had received her wound from an English 
Rifleman at the storming of Cornelius, and that 
perhaps it might have been one of us who had done 
it. I asked her from what part of the old country 
she came. Her reply was, " I am a Scotchwoman, 
born at Inverness, and my name is McDonald, and I 
rather think you are from Scotland also." We 
assured her that we were, and that we had both been 
born within thirty miles of her native place. " Come 
along then with me to my house, and you will be well 
entertained, and I shall make you acquainted with 
my story, which is rather a singular one." We 
accordingly followed her, and in less than a quarter 
of an hour we got admittance into a house well fur- 
nished in the Dutch style, and she introduced us to a 
man who she said was her husband. He welcomed 
us in a friendly way, speaking to us in English, in a 
style fully as good as our own. He told us that he 
had been a boatswain's mate on board an English 
frigate for a number of years, and had afterwards been 
chief mate on board an East India merchant vessel. 
Having sat for some little time, the woman com- 
menced her story, which was to the following effect: — 
" I was married to a soldier in the 78th Regiment, 
at the time stationed at Fort George, near Inverness. 
The recruits had scarcely learnt their exercise when 
the Regiment was ordered to embark for England, to 



95 

join the expedition for Holland, under the command 
of the Duke of York. The troops forming the 
expedition having embarked, were landed at Ostend, 
and then marched up the country. The French 
troops coming in sight, a battle ensued, and the 
enemy were driven back, but not without a severe 
loss on the part of the British. Our army then 
advanced to a place called Numingin, which was 
stormed and taken. I had the misfortune to lose 
my husband at the assault of this place. The French 
army was now in such force, that the British were 
unable to maintain their position, and were accord- 
ingly under the necessity of retreating. As I was at 
this time taken unwell and delivered of a son, I was 
unable to accompany the army in its retreat, I was 
therefore left behind in the hospital along with a 
number of wounded soldiers, dependant upon the 
mercy of the French soldiery. We had no reason to 
complain of their conduct towards us, as they behaved 
extremely well. Having recovered my health and 
strength, I took frequent walks about the town. On 
one of these occasions I chanced to meet a country- 
man who had left Scotland and settled in this place 
some years before. From his conversation I under- 
stood that he was a smuggler. He took me to his 
house and introduced me to his wife, a Dutchwoman, 
by whom he had two children. They used me very 
kindly, and would on no account hear of my return- 
ing to the hospital, unless I promised to return and 
take up my abode with them, until I had an oppor- 



96 

tunity of returning to my own country. I very 
willingly accepted their kind invitation, and having 
gone back to the hospital and got what articles 
belonged to me, I returned to their house in the 
evening. I had not been with them above a month 
when I was asked in marriage by a brother of my 
landlady who was a quarter-master serjeant in a 
Dutch troop, which had been compelled to join the 
French army. I was for sometime unwilling to marry 
him ; but at length I yielded to the importunities of 
my lover, and of his brother-in-law, my countryman, 
and we were lawfully married. Immediately there- 
after, an order came for the Regiment my husband 
belonged to, to embark for the Isle of France. We 
took shipping at Ostend. There were six transports 
and two sloops of war. We were very near being 
captured by the English; but a severe storm arising, 
was the means, I believe, of saving us, and we arrived 
at our destination, after a passage of three months 
and some days. Upon the passage we lost four men 
and one woman. My child was unwell the whole 
time we were at sea, and died shortly after we landed 
at the Isle of France. My husband was very kind 
and attentive to me. He was much esteemed by 
his officers as well as by his comrades. After 
remaining there about twelve months, three French 
Regiments arrived from Europe on their way to 
Java, and the Regiment my husband belonged to 
was ordered to accompany them. After a tedious 
voyage we were landed in safety on the Island of Java, 



r*F< 



97 

General Deandles was then Commander-in-Chief at 
that station and remained so for three years thereafter. 
A British Squadron blockaded the Island during that 
period. The strong works at Cornelius were erected 
under his superintendence. Having completed the 
works, he prepared to embark for Europe, having 
along with him two frigates loaded with money and 
other valuables. He was succeeded in the command 
by General Jansin, a Dutch officer, who was in no 
respect equal to his predecessor. Nothing occurred 
to us until after the arrival of the British, when I 
lost my husband, who was killed at the storming of 
Cornelius. As soon as I heard of his fall I went in 
search of his body, when I received a shot from some 
one of your Riflemen, which caused the loss of my 
leg without the consolation of receiving a pension ; 
but as I had no business to go into the midst of the 
strife, I may be thankful that I got off with my life, 
instead of only losing a leg; however, you see, not- 
withstanding my wooden leg, I have got another 
husband." The husband laughed, and said he never 
thought he would have married a woman with a 
wooden leg. " Very true," said the wife, " but my 
long purse blinded you so that you could not see my 
leg." The husband then said that he was obliged 
to go to Van Raher, which would detain him a couple 
of hours, and desired his wife to detain her country- 
men until his return. After his departure, she 
informed us that her present husband was captain 
and part owner of a vessel which traded between 



98 

Batavia and the Japan Islands, and that it was with 
part of her money that he had purchased his share 
of the ship. At the time mentioned by him her hus- 
band returned. He informed us that there was a 
large vessel in sight, bearing down towards the har- 
bour. I observed that it was most probably the 
one which was expected to convey us to Europe. 
We remained all that night at the Captain's house, 
and breakfasted with him next morning. When we 
took our leave, he made us promise to visit him 
every day while we remained on the Island. We 
then returned to our barracks, when we were in- 
formed that the vessel which was to convey us home 
had arrived. It was the same which had been seen 
the previous evening by our Dutch friend. The 
following day we again called upon him, who re- 
ceived us kindly ; and, after we had seated ourselves, 
I begged of him to give me some information res^ 
peering the Japan Islands. He said he could not 
give me much information about them, but such as 
he had in his power he would most cheerfully give 
me. The following is the substance of what he 
told me : The Japanese trade with the Dutch 
only, as they do not consider them to be Christians. 
But even they are not permitted to go up the 
country. When a vessel arrives at the trading port, 
some of the authorities come on board, and the first 
thing they do, is, with red chalk, to make the sign of 
the cross upon the deck and each officer and sailor 
on board is obliged to spit upon it. When this 



99 

ceremony is gone through, inquiry is made what 
articles are wanted, and what are to be given in 
exchange. This being- answered, the crew are or- 
dered ashore and put under a strong guard. Then 
the anchors, sails, &c. are taken and put into a 
store. The ship's cargo is next examined, valued, 
and taken away. The articles wanted are then put 
on board, and as soon as the cargo is completed the 
anchors, sails, &c. belonging to the vessel are returned 
to it, and fresh provisions, water and fuel put on 
board. The crew are then ordered on board, and 
every thing being in readiness, the ship is ordered to 
proceed immediately on her voyage. The supercargo, 
who is the only one of the crew who has the least 
semblance of liberty while in the place, is so strictly 
watched that he has little or no opportunity to mak§ 
any observations, from the extreme jealousy displayed 
by these people towards strangers. 

After our Dutch friend had given me the informa- 
tion, of which I have given the substance above, I 
complimented him upon the correctness with which 
he spoke the English language. He said he had ac- 
quired all his knowledge of it, while he served on board 
a British vessel as boatswain's mate. That he was a 
native of Holland, born at Flushing, but which place 
he had not seen for fifteen years. I then turned to 
my countrywoman, and asked her if she had no wish 
to see Scotland once more. She answered that she 
had not ; being perfectly contented with her present 
condition, and that she was sure, that neither her 



100 

father nor her mother, if alive, were at that time in 
Scotland, as they had determined to emigrate to 
America at the time she was married to her first 
husband. Having dined with our good friends, we 
took our leave, promising to see them again next day. 
Yours, &c. The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XXV. 

My Dear Friend, 

The kindness shown to my comrade and myself 
by our countrywoman, in the Island of Java, was 
more like the attentions of a sister than that of one 
who had no other tie to us than being born in the 
same country. It is, however, a striking charac- 
teristic of the natives of Scotland, to assist and 
befriend each other wherever they meet in a foreign 
land. 

According to promise we went next day to visit 
our friends, and we found them waiting for us, 
dressed out in all their finery. After the first saluta- 
tion was over, the Captain said to us that we must 
go along with them to a friend's house. To this we 
made no objection, and four palanquins having been 
got ready, with Malays to carry them, the Captain 
gave the order to sail, as he termed it, and away we 
went, and in the course of half an hour we arrived 



ioi 

at our place of destination. The friend of Captain 

to whose house he conducted us, was a part 

owner of the vessel which he commanded. The 
family consisted of the master of the house, his wife 
and two children, with a sister-in-law, whose husband, 
a Captain of Artillery, had been killed at the battle 
of the tenth of August. The sister-in-law, although 
she had so lately lost her husband, had already 
thrown aside her widow's garments. Dinner being 
served up, the widow assisted me to whatever I 
required, seeing I was unable to help myself, my 
arm being still of little or no use and hanging in a 
sling. Having finished our dinner, and partaken of 
a glass of punch each, another was proposed, but 
was declined by my comrade and myself, as our 
wounds were yet in an unhealed state. Our enter- 
tainer remarked, that it was very singular how 
England, such a small spot on the surface of the 
globe, was enabled, not only to withstand the power 
of France, backed as it was by the whole of Europe, 
but also to overcome it at all points, and, with little 
more than half the number of troops which their 
opponents could bring into the field. The Captain 
here observed, that they had not only withstood the 
whole power of Europe but of America likewise : 
Britain being at that time at war with the United 
States. The resources of Britain seem to be in- 
exhaustable; her navy rides triumphantly in every 
part of the world ; and although they can bring for- 
ward a comparatively small number of soldiers, yet 



102 

what wonders has she not performed through the 
medium of her armies. We have lately had an 
instance in this very island, where they have con- 
quered an enemy more than twice their number, and 
supported with batteries and entrenchments ; but it 
was no more than I expected, when I saw the soldier- 
like appearance of the men composing their little 
army. His friend said that the Dutch Regiments 
had behaved like cowards, and had thrown away their 
arms. They acted right said the Captain, the 
French had no right to rob Holland and tyrannise 
over Java. The Dutch will be better off under the 
power of England, at the same time taking up his 
glass and saying, " Fortune to England." The other 
pledged him, and added, soon may we hear that 
England has driven every Frenchman out of Holland 
and replaced the Stadtholder. At this instant one of 
the children entered, and said something in Dutch, 
which made all who understood what was said start to 
their feet and go to the door. My comrade and I fol- 
lowed, wondering what could be the matter. When 
we got to the door we beheld a scene sufficiently 
ludicrous. A party of liberty-men belonging to the 
Illustrious, 74, and to the Fox frigate, who had been 
a few miles into the interior of the Island, upon a 
frolic, and were returning, mounted upon horseback. 
They seemed to have foraged well, as they were liter- 
ally laden with poultry, some hanging upon the necks, 
some tied to the tails, and others attached to the bodies 
of the horses. Some of the sailors were seated with 



103 

their heads towards the horses tails, that they might 
converse more conveniently with their comrades in 
the rear. The horses, unaccustomed to such singular 
riders and baggage, were extremely restive, and the 
consequence was, that many of the riders were 
thrown overboard, as they termed it, more than once 
in their progress. A number of them, instead of 
taking a straight course, tacked from side to side, as 
they said it was impossible for them to sail right in 
the wind's eye. Altogether, it was a scene such as 
was never before seen in Batavia, and I am sure that 
those who witnessed it would not soon forget it. 
However, onwards they went, until they reached the 
water's edge, when the boatswain gave the order to 
belay, when they all came to an anchor. You may- 
be sure my countrywoman did not escape them, and 
many a joke was cracked at the expense of her 
wooden leg. This she did not much relish, and 
requested that we would leave the place and return 
to the house, which we accordingly did. We re- 
mained about two hours longer with the Captain and 
his wife, and then bade them good evening, and 
returned to our barracks. 

Some of our fellow soldiers, who knew how we 
were treated by our countrywoman, feeling envious of 
our good luck, told the officer in charge that my 
comrade and I had secret dealings with the Dutch 
authorities, for that every day we were seen going 
into a gentleman's house. The following day I was 
taken to task by the officer about the affair, when I 



104 

explained the whole matter to him, telling him that 
we had met with a countrywoman who was married 
to a Dutchman, Captain of a vessel trading between 
Batavia and the Japan Islands, and who had 
treated us in the kindest manner, and insisted upon 
our spending a part of each day with them. He 
then enquired the Captain's name, in what part of 
the city he resided, and if I would show him the 
place the next day. Having given him the required 
information, he desired me to be ready to accom- 
pany him to the house at nine o'clock the ensuing 
morning, I then left him. Next morning having 
cleaned and dressed myself, I called upon the offi- 
cer at the hour appointed. We then went down 
towards the city, he in a palanquin, and I on 
foot. Having arrived at the house, I knocked at 
the door, which was opened by my countrywoman. 
As soon as I saw her, I told her that an officer, 
a native of Inverness, had come along with me to 
see her. As soon as I had mentioned this, the 
officer came down from his palanquin, walked for- 
ward and shook hands with her. He was received in 
the kindest manner by both husband and wife, and 
requested to walk into their house. I excused myself 
from going in, saying, that I meant to walk a little 
farther and call upon the family whom we had visited 
the previous evening, but that I would return in the 
course of an hour. Having left them together I 
proceeded to make my call, where I remained a 
short time, and afterwards took a stroll through the 



105 

town. At length feeling fatigued with my ramble 
and the excessive heat of the sun, I retraced my steps 
to my countrywoman's house, where I found my Offi- 
cer and the Captain quite comfortable over a bottle 
of real Hollands. The Captain desired me to sit 
down and join them ; but I declined, stating, that it 
was not customary for a private soldier to sit at the 
same table with a Commissioned Officer. My Offi- 
cer, who was not over punctilious, desired me to wave 
my objection and sit down. I then sat down but did 
not partake of the drink, as I was complaining of 
headache. I, however, remained to dinner, and 
about five in the evening we returned to our barracks. 
On our way back I asked the Officer if he thought 
there were any grounds for the imputations that had 
been thrown out against me. He answered that 
there was u none whatever, and I see that they were 
influenced solely by envy. My advice to you is, not 
to allow any of them to know where you go. You 

and your comrade C may go and remain where 

we have been to-day until the vessel sails. The 
family seem very partial to you, and I assure you I 
gave you a very good character, which seemed t 
please our countrywoman much. But by the bye,' 
he continued, " the Dutchman informs me that you 
are very inquisitive, and are constantly asking him 
questions about the different countries he has visited. 
What is your reason for this?" I answered, "in order 
that on my return home, in the event of any of my 
acquaintances making enquiries as to the countries 



106 

of the east, I may be enabled to give them some 
satisfaction, and not appear altogether an ignoramus." 
He then asked me if I trusted entirely to my memory, 
or if I took notes. I told him, that although I had 
ah excellent memory, yet I did not entirely trust to 
it, for I took notes of every thing that I considered 
worthy of preservation. Being now arrived at the 
barracks we separated. As soon as I entered the 
barrack room, I was immediately assailed by some of 
those envious fellows who had previously been accus- 
ing me to the officer, who commenced by saying, 
here comes the Dutchman. They then abused me 
for preferring the company of the Dutch to theirs, 
saying that I knew well that they were a treacherous 
set, and asking me if I had forgot that the whole 
Rifle Companies had been nearly blown up by them 
the first night they were in Batavia. I told them 
that so long as I found myself well treated, I would 
continue to associate with them, and that the cir- 
cumstance alluded to by them was only known to a 
few of the inhabitants, and had been attempted solely 
at the instigation of the French Commander. Our 
Officer will be with you to-morrow, and then you 
will be enabled to ascertain from him whether or not 
your suspicions are just. This seemed to satisfy 
them, and so we parted for the evening. Next day, 
the Officer who had accompanied me to Captain 
- — r/s house, came to the barracks, and taking me 
aside, told me, that all the invalids were to embark 
in a few days on board the Java, Indiaman, at the 



107 

same time he said to me, that I ought that day, 
go down to Batavia, and take leave of my country- 
woman and her husband, as perhaps I might not 
have another opportunity. I asked him if my com- 
rade might go with me. " Certainly," was his reply, 
" but do not let any of the men know where you are 
going." Accordingly, my comrade and I started 
directly for Batavia, to take farewell of our friends. 
In crossing one of the streets we met the Captain, 
when we told him that we were on our way to his 
house, to take our leave of him and his family, as we 
understood we were to sail in a few days. He turned 
and accompanied us to his house. When w T e reach- 
ed it, he told his wife that her countrymen were 
come to take leave of her, but that, for his part, he 
would see us on board our vessel. They insisted 
upon our spending the night with them, to which we 
consented, and we remained until after breakfast the 
next morning. Previous to our taking leave, our 
countrywoman presented each of us with two dozen 
silk handkerchiefs. Having bid her farewell, we 
parted ; but not without sorrow on both sides. Hav- 
ing returned to our barracks, we were assailed by those 
few of our fellow soldiers who envied us, in the usual 
style. They at the same time said to us, that our 
enjoyments would soon have an end, and that we 
would be obliged to fare as they did. We took no 
notice of their attacks, treating them with silent 
contempt. 



108 

In the evening my comrade and I went to the 
bazaar, and purchased about six hundred betle nuts 
of the largest size. These nuts grow upon large 
trees, in branches at the top. The natives use them 
by chewing them along with a stuff called Chinam, 
a kind of powder somewhat resembling fine lime. 
Previous to my leaving home, I had been informed 
that if I could bring any of them with me to Eng- 
land, I would get a guinea an ounce for them, from 
the silk- dyers ; and this was the reason of our pur- 
chasing a stock of them. Whether our speculation 
proved fortunate or not will appear hereafter. 

That same evening there was another inspection 
of the invalids, and a few of our party were returned 
fit for service; amongst these was one who pretended 
to have in a great measure lost his sight, and gave a 
great deal of abuse to the inspecting surgeon. He 
was immediately put into confinement, and afterwards 
tried by a Court Martial, and sentenced to receive 
two hundred and fifty lashes, every one of which he 
received, and was then sent back to his Regiment. 

The day subsequent to the punishment of the man 
above spoken of, we were busily occupied in packing 
up and preparing for our departure, and in the even- 
ing we were marched to Batavia, and embarked in 
country boats where we remained all night, and in 
the morning were put on board the vessel which 
was to convey us from the Island. Having got all 
safe on board, hammocks and cotton mattrasses, with 
a palimpoo or covering of IffQian print were served 



109 

out to us. The vessel we embarked in was quite 
new, having been launched at Bengal shortly after 
the taking of Java, — from which she derived her 
name. She measured, as I understood, about eleven 
with the exception of seamen, there being only ten 
hundred tons and was complete in every respect, 
Europeans, with between two and three hundred 
Lascars who were very indifferent seamen. There 
were on board as passengers a few French military 
officers, prisoners of war; two ladies, widows of British 
officers; and four officers going home on leave of ab- 
sence. We likewise took over eight Java horses, as 
a present to his late Majesty George the Fourth, 
while Prince Regent, one of which, however, died on 
the voyage. There was also a female buffalo on 
board, which calved during the voyage, and both 
were brought safe to land. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XXVI. 

My Dear Friend, 

You now find me on board ship, for the purpose 
of once more visiting the shores of my native land. 
There is no one, I believe, so dead to feeling, who, 
having been long in foreign climes, does not feel his 
breast throb at the bare mention of his native home 



110 

If there be any such person I do not envy him. This 
idea is beautifully pourtrayed, in the following lines 
from the Lay of the Last Minstrel, by Sir W. Scott. 

" Breathes there the man, with soul so dead, 
Who never to himself hath said, 

This is my own, my native land ! 
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd, 
As home his footsteps he hath turn'd, 

From wandering on a foreign strand ! 
If such there breathe, go, mark him well ; 
For him no Minstrel raptures swell ; 
High though his titles, proud his name, 
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim; 
Despite those titles, power, and pelf, 
The wretch, concentred all in self, 
Living, shall forfeit fair renown, 
And, doubly dying, shall go down 
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung-, 
Unwept, unhonour'd, and unsung." 

And I am sure that not one of the poor invalids on 
board the Java, but what felt elated at the idea of 
once more seeing the home of their youth, although 
returning to it with their outward man, in, I may say, 
a state of mutilation, from the effects of war. The 
remembrance even of our changed state, seemed 
to have vanished from our minds at the thoughts of 
home* 

Having slung our hammocks we retired to rest. 
Next morning, at eight o'clock, all the hammocks 
had to be passed up, and this was done each morning 
at the same hour during the whole voyage. The 
day's provisions were then served out, and afterwards 



Ill 

an allowance of grog. We had no reason, during our 
home passage, to complain of the want of food or 
drink, as we had every thing in abundance. 

The day previous to our sailing, my friend Captain 

S came on board, in one of the country boats, 

bringing along with him a present for me and my 
comrade, consisting of an anker of Batavia arrack, two 
dozen of roasted fowls, and a cann, containing twelve 
dozen of eggs, boiled quite hard, as they would not 
otherwise keep for any length of time; he also 
brought two sacks of green cocoa nuts, which was 
a most acceptable present. In return for his kind- 
ness, and as a token of remembrance, I pressed upon 
his acceptance a tortoise-shell snuff-box. He then 
took his leave, wishing us a speedy and prosperous 
voyage. As w r e had plenty of liqour served out to 
us from the ship, I determined, with the leave of my 
comrade, to tap the anker of arrack, and deal it out, 
as long as it lasted, amongst our companions, both 
friends and foes. He objected at first, saying, he 
would rather throw it overboard than allow 7 certain 
ones, whom he named, to taste it. At last, however, 
he complied, and that evening our arrack w r as finished. 
It had the effect intended, as it produced harmony 
amongst us during the whole voyage. The ship 
having completed her lading, which consisted chiefly 
of sugar, coffee and Batavia arrack, the anchor was 
raised and we set sail. 

I will now give you as particular an account of the 



112 

Island of Java, as I possibly can, and which, I hope, 
will prove both amusing and instructive. 

The Island of Java was very little known to the 
English previous to its capture. The Dutch, who 
are a people jealous of all interference with their 
affairs, possessed the Island for upwards of two hun- . 
dred and fifty years. From the time the Dutch ac- 
quired possession of the Island, they tyrannized over 
the natives, not allowing them the least semblance of 
liberty. The Dutch, at one time, accused the Chi- 
nese inhabitants of an intention of rebelling against 
their authority, and of driving them from the Island. 
Upon the plea of settling their differences, they ap- 
pointed the Chinese inhabitants to repair to a 
certain point to meet them, in order that they might 
attempt an amicable settlement of their differences. 
Accordingly they repaired thither, to the amount of 
about thirty thousand souls ; but instead of an ami- 
cable meeting for the settlement of their differences, 
which they had been led to expect, they found them- 
selves surrounded by armed men, who instantly at- 
tacked and massacred them, if I am to credit the 
information, which I received from a respectable gen- 
tleman, a resident in the Island. 

The Island is six hundred miles long, and upwards 
of one hundred in breadth. There are sorre fine 
looking towns upon it, belonging to the Dutch, such 
as Bantam, Magrim, Sadmarang, Sourabaya, and 
Batavia, which last is the chief city, and is strongly 
fortified, surrounded by walls and a moat, and has 



113 

several entrances with draw bridges and gates.— 
The bridges are drawn up, and the gates are locked 
every night. The citadel stands on the side of the 
town next the water. It contains a few warehouses, a 
town hall with some private dwellings, and other ne- 
cessary buildings. The city is large, and the houses 
good, and built of stone. The rooms are, in gene- 
ral, large and well aired, being so contrived as to 
have at all times a free circulation of air, which 
is very necessary in that hot climate. The streets 
are not paved with stone, and the reason assigned is, 
that the rays of the sun would so heat the stones, 
as to render it impossible for the slaves, (who are 
always barefooted) to walk in the streets. There 
is, however, a range of stones running along the 
sides of the houses, forming a path for the accom- 
modation of Europeans. The inhabitants of Batavia 
are a mixed multitude, consisting of Malays, Javanese, 
Portuguese, Tonganese, Chinese, Dutch, &c. The 
prevailing language is Dutch, although many others 
are to be heard in every part of the city. The heat 
is oppressive and disagreeable. The city is very un- 
healthy, and is justly denominated the grave of 
Europeans. It stands low, and is surrounded with 
canals and stagnant pools, the exhalations from which, 
are extremely prejudicial to health. The interior of 
the Island is, however, much healthier than the 
coast. It is almost impossible to stir abroad from 
ten in the morning until three in the afternoon, 
owing to the excessive heat. The clothing of the 



114 

Europeans, with the exception of the military, is 
usually composed of white cotton, black satin, or 
thin Indian silk. The days and nights are equal 
throughout the whole year. The sun at mid-day is 
directly over-head, and of course there is no shadow 
to be seen. There is no twilight, for as soon as the 
sun sinks beneath the horizon, darkness prevails. 
This is the most pleasant season, and would be alto- 
gether delightful, were it not for the visitations of 
the mosquitto. Frogs are extremely numerous in 
the stagnant pools, and are very annoying from their 
continued croaking. The water is unwholesome, 
and when drunk immediately when taken from the 
river causes dysentries and frequently the bloody flux. 
In order to obviate its bad effects, the inhabitants put 
it into earthen jars, and after it has remained there 
for some time, they plunge red hot iron bars into 
them, which does, in a great measure, destroy its 
noxious qualities. The inhabitants, however, sel- 
dom make use of it, except for tea or coffee. The 
Javanese, or original inhabitants of the Island, are a 
tall race, with a yellowish complexion. They occupy 
the interior of the country, and are not under subjec- 
tion to the Dutch, but are ruled by their own laws. 
The Emperor or Sultan, resides in a city in the 
interior of the Island called Dejocarta. They gene- 
rally profess the religion of Mahomet, but there are 
many Pagans amongst them. They have many 
strange and superstitious notions; amongst others, 
they conceive that there is some affinity between the 



115 

human species and alligators, for they believe that 
whenever a child is born, a young alligator also 
comes into the world. They, therefore, every morn- 
ing regularly, throw food into the water, for the use 
of these supposed connexions. The rainy season 
commences in December, and continues until March. 
This is the only time when the air of the country is 
any thing like comfortably cool, and disease rather 
less frequent. The Europeans who live in the 
Island, generally speaking, lead very intemperate 
lives which is the principal reason of the mortality 
being greater amongst them than the inhabitants of 
the Island; and it appears very surprising to me, that 
w T hen the ruinous effects of intemperance are brought 
so vividly before their eyes, that there should be any 
one so destitute of common sense, as to persevere in 
this dangerous and immoral practice. 

The country around Batavia has. certainly a rich 
and beautiful appearance. There is no barrenness 
or sterility as in every direction you may perceive 
large plantations of coffee, sugar, pepper, rice, and 
other valuable productions, which are enclosed, and 
divided by rows of the choicest fruit trees ; whilst 
here and there, scattered over the face of the coun- 
try, are numberless handsome country houses, sur- 
rounded with delightful gardens; and were it not 
for the unhealthiness of the place, caused in some 
degree by the exhalations from the numerous canals 
and fish ponds, and which could be so easily re- 
medied, it would indeed be an earthly paradise. In 



116 

the streets of Batavia, rows of evergreens are planted 
as a shade from the excessive heat of the sun. 
Amongst the trees are many small arbours, where 
the Dutch inhabitants resort, to drink their coffee 
and smoke their pipes, and remain there for hours 
together, quite contented and happy. The number 
of inhabitants, that is, of free citizens, of every 
denomination, in the city of Batavia, is estimated at 
one hundred and twenty thousand. The forests of 
this Island abound in teak trees, which are much 
used in ship building, and in warm climates is found 
to answer better than the British oak. The Dutch 
derive a large revenue from what are called cock 
farms, that is places where game cocks are reared for 
the purpose of fighting, which appears to me a most 
inhuman practice ; and instead of being encouraged 
and made a source of revenue by the authorities, 
ought to be discontinued by every means in their 
power; but the Dutch are not very particular as to 
the means by which they acquire money. 

The animals to be found on the Island are chiefly 
the following : the rhinoceros, tiger, hyena, leopard, 
buffalo, with sheep and horses in abundance — the 
last are of a very small breed. There are various 
kinds of serpents, and the boa constrictor is found 
there. I cannot say whether there are any singing 
birds, in the Island or not, never having seen any. 
Turtle doves are numerous, and the natives seem to 
be very fond of them, many keeping them in their 
houses in cages. In the evenings there are to be 



117 

seen immense swarms of an animal, resembling a 
European bat, but six times larger, and are called 
flying-foxes. There is also a species of small fowl, 
similar to that denominated in Europe bantam; 
and while in Java, I was led to understand that it 
was first introduced into Europe by the Dutch, 
shortly after they took possession of the Island, and 
that it took its name from the town of Bantam. 
Those found in the Island of Java are much smaller 
and of a more delicate appearance than any I have 
ever met with in Europe. At Sourabaya I bought a 
pair, the smallest I ever saw, they were so tame that 
they would perch upon my knee and feed from my 
hand, and, if I did not immediately observe them, 
would give my hand a peck to put me in mind of 
their presence. Captain Cameron of the rifle com- 
pany took a great fancy to my fowls from their small 
size, and upon my leaving the Island, I gave them to 
that gentleman, although I had intended to take 
them with me to Scotland. 

All the necessaries of life, and indeed many of 
its luxuries, are to be had in the Island of Java, at a 
very moderate price. Tobacco is excellent, and very 
cheap. Sugar can be got at the rate of two pence 
per pound, and the sear (equal to a pound and a half) 
of tea, can be got for three shillings, and when taken 
by the chest at a much lower rate. Coffee exceedingly 
good and cheap. Fish most abundant and of an 
excellent quality. Provisions of all sorts cheap and 
in great abundance. 



118 

You may perhaps have heard of the Upas, or 
poison tree of Java, and of its wonderful effects. For 
instance, the impossibility of approaching it, with 
the wind blowing from it, without the most fatal 
results. That the Dutch employed criminals to 
extract its poison, and that few of them survived; 
and many other wonderful stories to the same purpose. 
All which are entirely fabulous. There is no hurtful 
smell proceeds from the tree. I have frequently 
approached it, and indeed have slept under its 
shade and felt no bad effects. When I mentioned 

to Captain S what I had heard respecting the 

Upas tree before I left England, he laughed very 
heartily at the idea, and told me I would be enabled 
on my return, to give a contradiction to the ridicu- 
lous nonsense. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner* 



LETTER XXVII. 

My Dear Friend, 

As I have previously mentioned to you, we took 
our departure from the Island of Java, on board the 
Java, Indiaman, commanded by Captain Dennison, 
an active and experienced seaman, and a perfect 
gentleman. We passed through the straits of 
Malacca with ease, having fortunately got a fair 



119 

wind, and proceeded rapidly and pleasantly on our 
homeward voyage for the space of three weeks, w 7 hen 
we were overtaken, about three o'clock in the morn- 
ing, with a sudden squall, which did considerable 
damage to our masts and spars. It carried aw T ay our 
fore-top and top-gallant masts; the bow-sprit and 
jib-boom were broken asunder, and fifteen of the best 
seamen, and the most active amongst our Lascars 
washed overboard, and were no more seen, the ves- 
sel running at the time ten knots an hour. At the 
time the squall attacked the ship, most of us 
invalids w 7 ere below in our hammocks, but no sooner 
did we hear the crash of the falling masts and spars, 
than such of us as were able rushed up to the deck, 
when a sad spectacle indeed was presented to our eyes. 
The vessel appeared to us, inexperienced landsmen, 
to be a complete wreck. The sea was running 
mountains high, and it rained in torrents. The hull 
of the vessel had, however, fortunately received no 
injury, and we had a sufficiency of spare masts and 
spars. At daylight all hands were ordered up to 
repair the damage we had received. About ten 
o'clock, a. m. the Orion, gun brig appeared in sight, 
and coming alongside, hailed us, and received the 
proper answers. The Commander of the Orion un- 
derstanding the loss we had sustained the previous 
night, offered us both men and spars to replace our 
loss. Capt. Dennison, however, declined the offer, 
stating that he was sufficiently supplied with both. 
We at the same time received information from the 



120 



Commander of the gun brig, that war had com- 
menced between Great Britain and the United States 
of Ameriea, and he bade us be on our guard against 
the American cruisers. We then parted company 
to proceed to our respective destinations, wishing 
each other a speedy voyage. The information of 
war having commenced between Britain and the 
United States, seemed to give great satisfaction to 
the French prisoners that were on board. One of 
them who could speak the English language, said to 
me, that he expected our first landing would be at 
some port in the United States ; " and then," said 
he, " our conditions will be reversed — we shall be 
free and you will be prisoners." " That is yet to be 
proved," I replied ; " at all events we will not yield 
to them without a struggle. If any of them come in 
our way they shall smell powder." "And how," an- 
swered he, " are these great guns to be managed ; 
the Lascars know nothing of their management, and 
I suppose none of you soldiers do ; besides most of 
you are unfit to do anything owing to your wounds ?" 
I said, "a few of us understood the great gun 
exercise, and are still able to work them, with the 
assistance which we could soon teach the Lascars to 
give us." With that he left me, and joined his com- 
panions, and he never again addressed me on the 
subject. It took us nearly a week to repair the 
damage we had sustained during the gale. 

As we neared the Cape of Good Hope the indica- 
tions of an approaching storm became apparent. 



121 

Numerous porpoises were seen sporting around our 
vessel. The sea became agitated and the sky was 
obscured with threatening thunder clouds. Gradu- 
ally the sea became more and more agitated — the 
thunder's roar was heard above the howlings of the 
wind, while the vivid lightnings flashed around us 
and the rain came down in torrents — the storm had 
now descended upon us in all its fury. The vessel 
rolled fearfully in the agitated waters — at one time 
appearing as if mounting to the heavens, and the 
next moment again sinking into an abyss. The indi- 
cations of the approach of the storm did not pass 
unheeded by our watchful commander, who instantly 
set to work to get his ship prepared for its coming, 
and scarcely was she made snug, when the gale came 
in earnest. The storm was tremendous, and lasted 
for two days and two nights, but at last it pleased 
Him who rides in the storm and directs the whirl- 
wind, to say it is enough — be still ! and it was so. A 

calm having succeeded the storm, enabled us again 

© y © 

to put every thing to rights. Thanks to the prudent 
foresight of our commander, in having everything in 
trim before the coming of the storm, the vessel 
suffered nothing of consequence from its effects. 
The only loss we met with was one of our swine 
washed overboard, to the great joy of our Las- 
cars, who would have been happy had the whole of 
them gone the same way. These sailors are of the 
Hindoo caste, who, as you will recollect I mentioned 
in my account of that caste, hold swine's flesh in the 



1-22 

greatest abhorrence. This dislike, being of course 
known to our European sailors, and the invalid sol- 
diers, they took great delight in tormenting the poor 
Lascars in every way they could devise. One of the 
soldiers in particular, of the name of Taylor, was ex- 
tremely mischevious. One of his tricks was, to 
them, a very cruel one in its consequences. He 
would take a piece of pork and rub their faces or 
other parts of their bodies. This rendered them un- 
clean, and upon their return to their ow 7 n country, 
they would either have to undergo some severe 
penance, or to pay a large sum of money in order to 
regain caste. This person, Taylor, soon after died, 
and I believe his death was principally in conse- 
quence of hard drinking. The Lascars, I assure you, 
did not grieve for him. One of them asked me if I 
knew where Saib Taylor was gone to. " Heaven, I 
hope," replied I. " No, no ; Saib," says he, " is 
gone to Johannum," (which means hell) " for he has 
been bad man to us in making us lose caste." 
" Don't tell your Bramins wh§n you return, and you 
will not lose caste." " Then," says he, " we will be 
severely punished in the next world." 

Yours, &c. 



The Commuted Pensioner, 



123 



LETTER XXVIII. 

My Dear Friend, 

Having reached the Cape of Good Hope we 
once more came to an anchor. We remained four 
days, and took in fresh provisions for the use of the 
cabin passengers, and then proceeded on our voyage. 
After jten days sailing we came in view of the Island 
of St. Helena, since become so famous as the tomb 
of Napoleon Buonaparte, and we came to an anchor 
opposite Jamestown, which is the only landing place 
on the Island. The morning subsequent to our 
arrival, all the soldiers who were able got leave to 
go ashore; I embraced the opportunity, and got 
ready as speedily as possible. Shortly after land- 
ing I met with a townsman, who was a corporal of 
Artillery, and stationed upon the Island. He recog- 
nized me the moment he saw me, and we felt very 
happy at meeting in that distant spot. He spent all 
the time he could spare from duty in my company, 
and during that period, I traversed with him the 
greater part of the Island. St. Helena is a naturally 
strong position, as it is only accessible at one point ; 
the remainder of the coast being high and rocky. 
The natural strength of the place is increased by 
means of artificial fortifications. 

The produce of the Island is not sufficient for the 



124 

maintenance of its inhabitants for six months in the 
year. The deficiency is supplied either from the 
Cape of Good Hope or from England. The Island 
is much infested with rats, which are very destructive 
to the produce of the husbandman's labours. Pro- 
visions of all kinds are very high in price, and in conse- 
quence, good board and lodging cannot be had under 
four dollars a day. Water is plentiful and good. It 
is brought from the island in leather pipes to some 
distance in the sea, which enable the sailors to 
fill their barrels without the trouble of taking them 
ashore. We remained at this place for the space 
of twenty-five days, when we again took up anchor 
and proceeded on our homeward passage. Eight 
days after leaving St. Helena, a strange sail hove 
in sight. She displayed no colours, so that we 
could not distinguish to what country she belonged, 
although we suspected her to be an American. She 
appeared to be dodging us, and would not answer 
any of our signals. This continued for the space of 
two days. Our commander, in the meantime, had 
every thing prepared for repelling any attack that 
might be made upon us. Small arms were served 
out to every man on board who was capable of 
using them, with the exception of our prisoners, 
and our large guns were loaded and manned. The 
Captain at last finding all his signals disregarded, 
and that the strange sail still continued to hover 
about, ordered one of our large guns to be fired at 
her. This had the desired effect, for she imme- 



125 

diately hoisted American colours, and then bore 
down upon us, and informed us that peace had been 
cpncluded between Britain and America. The 
privateer appeared to be full of men, and had a 
number of guns. Perhaps we would not have got 
so easily off, had the commander of the privateer 
been aware, that the soldiers who appeared on 
deck, w T ere mostly disabled, and unfit to render 
any service in an engagement, as it would have 
been no difficult task to have taken us. The 
wind being favorable, we made great progress in 
our homeward course, and having cleared the Bay of 
Biscay, we entered the British Channel. As we 
w r ere entering the Channel, we perceived a vessel 
bearing down upon us. On nearing, we discovered 
her to be the Isis, British frigate. Her commander 
hailed us, and enquired if we had lately seen any 
strange sail, and in what latitude. We told him that 
we had spoken an American privateer in such a 
latitude, who had informed us that peace had been 
proclaimed between the two countries. We received 
no answer from the frigate, for immediately she 
crowded all sail, and we soon lost sight of her. I 
afterwards heard that the American had been cap- 
tured by the Isis, and brought to Britain. 

The first land we made, was the Isle of Wight. 
Early in the morning, a revenue cutter came along- 
side. All our articles were overhauled, but nothing 
contraband was found, at least amongst the soldiers' 
baggage. In the afternoon we were all landed at~ 



126 

the town of Cowes, and marched to Park House bar- 
racks. My comrade and I, were lodged along with 
a party of men belonging to the 49th Regiment, who 
were waiting there, in order to be sent to join their 
corps, then on foreign service. The evening previous 
to the day these men were to embark, we went down 
to the town to visit an acquaintance of my comrades. 
We were detained all night, and next morning on 
our return to the barracks, we were surprised to find 
our trunks broken open, and a number of our most 
valuable things carried off. We suspected our 
fellow lodgers of the 49th, who were regular jail-birds 
that had escaped punishment by volunteering, and 
who had by this time embarked. We immediately 
went to the commanding officer of the depot, and 
informed him of our loss, and whom we suspected of 
taking our property. He sent off a serjeant and 
party on board the vessel, who made a search, but 
without effect, as no trace of our property was to be 
found. My comrade's loss was rather serious, having 
amongst other things, lost four dozen silk handker- 
chiefs, some Indian curiosities, and a pocket-book 
containing cash to the amount of nearly thirty 
pounds. My loss was trifling, being only two dozen 
silk handkerchiefs, and four ostrich feathers which I 
had purchased at the Cape of Good Hope, with 
some other small articles. I was not possessed of a 
great deal of money, and what little I had, I kept 
about my person, so that the thieves got none of it. 



127 

We remained upwards of a month in the Isle of 
Wight, when we received orders to march for Lon- 
don. We took boat for Southampton, and thence 
proceeded on foot for the metropolis. Those of our 
number, who were unable to walk, were conveyed in 
waggons. On the third day of our march, we met 
one of our Colonels of the name of Gibb, in company 
with another military gentleman whose name I did 
not learn, but who had also served in Java. Upon 
coming up to us, they halted and dismounted. They 
then welcomed us all back to our native country, at 
the same time shaking hands with us, and saying to 
us, that we would shortly receive, from a grateful 
country, a reward for all the dangers we had encoun- 
tered in her behalf, and which would help to render 
the remainder of our days comfortable. They then 
put into each man's hand, the amount of a day's pay, 
to enable us to drink the healths of the donors, at 
the first resting place, in a pot of porter, which none 
of us neglected to do. Having arrived in London, 
we were billeted at some of the small taverns in the 
neighbourhood of the hospital at Chelsea. It is a 
very bad plan to billet invalid soldiers in such places, 
as they seldom get out of the owners' clutches, 
until they are stript of every sixpence of their 
cash. In fact none of these low taverns should 
be allowed near the hospital, as the landlords are 
constantly on the watch, like so many harpies, to 
pounce upon the veterans, and fleece them of their 
hard earned pittance. 



128 

We remained at Chelsea for about a fortnight, 
before we were brought before the board for inspec- 
tion. At last the day for inspecting the men belong- 
ing to the 78th arrived, and each was alloted a 
pension of such amount as was considered adequate, 
taking into consideration the nature of his wounds 
and the length of his service. Ninepence per day 
was my allowance, being at the rate of three-pence 
per day for each wound; and I had no reason to 
complain, seeing that some who had suffered the loss 
of a leg or an arm, received no more. 

Having received so much in advance of my pen- 
sion, I went along with my old comrade, to different 
silk dyers, in order to dispose of our betle nuts, ex- 
pecting to realise a little fortune from them. But 
how great was our disappointment, to find that we 
could not get them disposed of at any price, as the 
dyers told us that a substitute had been discovered 
which answered their purpose better, and at a less 
expense. Being thus disappointed in the realization 
of our golden expectations, I took two bags contain- 
ing each one hundred nuts, and consigned them to 
the river Thames, reserving the remaining bag to 
keep me in remembrance, that I was not qualified 
to make my fortune by smuggling. My comrade 
and I then proceeded to the tower, to which place 
we had been ordered after our examination. On our 
way we dropt into a gin shop, where we partook of 
some of their poison, which, although it has the ef- 
fect of driving grief and vexation from the mind for a 



129 

time, in the long run, doubles the load. When we 
came out, not being much acquainted with the 
localities, and the little knowledge of them w r hich 
we had previously possessed being somewhat ob- 
scured from the effects of our potations, w T e felt 
rather at a loss as to which direction we should bend 
our steps in order to get to the tower; but being un- 
willing to make any enquiry on the subject, we went 
on at a venture. As luck would have it, we took the 
wrong direction ; however, onwards we w r ent from 
one street to another, until we came to a turnstile, 
which having crossed, we found ourselves in a church 
yard. Being completely fatigued with our ramble, 
we lay down, fell fast asleep, and remained in that 
state till the morning's dawn. We were not a little 
surprised when we awoke, to find that we had passed 
the night amidst the mansions of the dead. The 
remembrance of having entered a church-yard had 
been completely obliterated from our minds, from 
the effects of our draughts from the dispenser of gin 
on the previous evening. Upon enquiry, w r e were 
informed that the church-yard in which we had pass- 
ed the night, was that of Stepney. 

When w r e got back to our quarters in the tower, we 
commenced preparations for our departure ; and 
having got our things conveyed to the wharf, that 
same evening we embarked on board the Pilot, Leith 
smack, and after a pleasant voyage, landed once 
more upon the shores of our native country. Yours, 
&c. The Commuted Pensioner. 



130 



LETTER XXIX. 



My Dear Friend, 

As requested by you, I shall now give you 
sketches of a few singular characters I met with in 
my service abroad, as also some anecdotes, which, I 
trust you will find amusing, without their at all tres- 
passing on the boundaries of decency. 

Soon after I arrived at the head-quarters of .our 
Regt. in the Island of Goa, a man of the name of 
Jones joined us. He was of a most unsocial disposi- 
tion, keping always by himself, and never entering 
into conversation with any one, sometimes not even 
returning an answer when spoken to. This man had 
formerly belonged to the ?7th Regt., and while in that 
corps, a conspiracy was formed by some of the pri- 
vates to murder their officers, and then fly in a body 
to the Mahratta country. Jones, though not one of 
the party, by some means or other, got information 
of the plot, and without delay informed the command- 
ing officer of it. Immediate steps were taken by 
that officer to frustrate the intentions of the con- 
spirators, and the whole of them were secured and 
put into confinement. Some of them were shot, and 
others severely flogged. It being known that Jones 
was the person who gave information of the con- 



131 

spiracy to the commanding officer, his situation in 
the Regiment was any thing but agreeable. He 
therefore got leave to join any other Regiment he 
chose, and having chosen the 78th, he joined as 
above stated. The commanding officer of the 77th 
also promised to use his influence to procure Jones a 
commission, as a reward for the service he had per- 
formed. Jones, however, never received a commis- 
sion, and the disappointment of his hopes in this 
matter, w r as the reason we all" assigned for his morose 
and unsocial behaviour. On many occasions I at- 
tempted to get him into a conversation, but for a 
length of time without effect; but at last I succeeded, 
when he told me the real cause of his misan- 
thropic conduct. It thus happened: — Having ob- 
served him at the top of the rock on which the 
Franciscan monastery stood, gazing upon a passing 
vessel, and seemingly inattentive to aught else near 
him, I went silently up behind him, and taking him 
by the shoulders drew him suddenly back, at the 
same time saying to him, " what would have be- 
come of you had I pushed you forward over the rock 
instead of drawing you back." " And if you had 
done so," he answered, " what would you have af- 
terwards felt, especially when you considered that I 
had never done you any harm." " God forbid that 
I should ever be guilty of such an action ; I only 
spoke in jest, for were you my greatest enemy I 
would not have done it. No, not for the possession of 
the whole Island of Goa, would I have such a deed 



132 

upon my conscience." " Your last words/' replied 
he, " have struck daggers to my heart, never speak 
to me in that style again ; — you have touched upon 
the sore that rankles in my heart." " I am sorry," 
said I, '• that I should in any way have hurt your 
feelings, nothing I have said was with an intention of 
offending you." " You have no doubt heard," he 
said, " that I had been the means of preventing a 
mutiny in the last Regiment I belonged to, and that 
some of the men who had been engaged in it had 
been shot, and others severely flogged." " You 
acted quite right in what you did, in my opinion," I 
replied. " Perhaps so," said he, " and if it were to 
do again I believe I would act in the same manner ; 
but still there were some excusable circumstances in 
the case. The officers of the Regt., generally speak- 
ing, were a most tyrannical set of fellows, and it was 
the cruel usage which the men received which drove 
them to do as they did. I was not in the secret of 
the intended conspiracy. I obtained my information 
from a native girl whom I kept, who was told 
of it by her sister, who lived with one of the 
conspirators. Previous to the , trial, two of them 
turned king's evidence, and, by that means, escaped 
personal punishment, but were sentenced never to 
return to their native country. All the others suf- 
fered death, with the exception of three, who were 
severely flogged. When I informed our commander 
of the conspiracy, he told me that if my infor- 
mation proved correct, he would use his interest 



133 

to cet me a commission, and that he had no doubt 
he would succeed, and that, in the meantime, I 
should have leave to go into any other regiment 
then in India, that I might choose. You are aware 
that this commission has never been procured for 
me, and this my fellow soldiers suppose to be the 
cause of my want of sociability. In this they are 
mistaken, far different indeed is the cause. If you 
will solemnly promise me that you will not speak of 
it to any in the Regt., or whilst you are in India, I will 
unburthen my mind to you, it will perhaps, in some 
degree, relieve the oppressiveness of the load which 
presses upon me." I gave him the required promise, 
and he thus began his narrative. " I was born in Mon- 
mouthshire, in Wales, and bred a carpenter. Upon 
the expiration of my servitude I repaired to London, 
where I remained for three years working at my 
business. At the end of that period I married 
a young woman, whose occupation was that of a hat- 
binder, and with her I continued to live for a length 
of time very happily. One Saturday evening after 
work, I went with some of my fellow workmen to a 
public house, in order to take some refreshment. In 
conversation with my friends I happened to say some- 
thine in praise of my wife. Upon this a man who 
was in the same box with us, and with whom I had 
some slight acquaintance, asked me what was my 
wife's maiden name. I told him it. He then said 
that she was no more honest than others who kept 
left handed husbands. This assertion roused all 

M 



134 

my passions, and I struck the fellow a blow on the 
face which caused blood to flow copiously from his 
nose. He did not return the blow, but said to me 
that I should pay dearly for it the next time we met. 
I shortly after took my departure from the house, 
and returned home. The allegation against my 
wife's virtue rendered me very uneasy and roused all 
the jealousy of my nature. And as every occurrence, 
however trifling, and which otherwise would pass un- 
heeded, becomes to the jealous matter of importance, 
and adds fuel to the fire which rages in his breast ; 
or, to use the language of the immortal Shakspeare, 

" trifles, light as air, 

Are, to the jealous, confirmations strong 
As proofs of holy writ." 

So my suspicions were confirmed by observing, an ap- 
proaching my house, a man in the act of taking his 
departure from it. On entering the house I ques- 
tioned my wife as to her knowledge of Ellice, as that 
was the name of the man who had made the allegation 
against her. She said she had formerly known him, but 
had not seen him since she was eleven years of age, 
I then demanded of her who it was that left the 
house as I entered. She said that it was her brother 
Jem, whom I had never seen, and most likely never 
would. He was a gentleman's servant, and was on 
the eve of departing, along with his master, for the 
East Indies, and had come that evening to take leave 
of her, but had not been enabled to stop any time, 
as he was so much occupied preparing for his mag- 



135 

ter's departure. Jealousy having taken firm hold of 
my mind, this explanation by no means satisfied me. 
In fact I felt convinced that her visitor was some se- 
cret lover. My passion became so uncontrollable, that 
I struck her a blow with my foot, which hurt her so 
severely, that it ultimately occasioned her death. 
When dying, she forgave me ; and at the same time 
declared solemnly, that what she had previously told 
me, was strictly true, and that she had always been 
faithful to me, and begged that I would send for El- 
lice. I did send for him, and when he came, I ques- 
tioned him on the subject, in presence of my wife, 
and he declared that she was not the person he had 
meant ; but that it was another of the same name, 
and a connexion of the same family, who was notor- 
ious for her bad conduct. The mist caused by jea- 
lousy being now dispelled, I saw things as they really 
were, and I have never since ceased to deplore my 
folly, and to regret my conduct towards my wife, 
whose murderer I have ever considered myself to be. 
This, and this alone, is the cause of my strange con- 
duct." Having finished his account of the cause 
which induced him to avoid society, we descended 
the bank together, and proceeded to our different 
quarters. 

This man was very correct in the performance of 
his military duties. He was a very sober man, and 
I do not think he ever used his allowance of grog, 
during the time he served with us. About three 
weeks after I had the conversation with him above 



136 

4 

detailed, he disappeared from the Regiment, and 
no one could tell whither he had gone. Various 
surmises were afloat, both as to where he had gone, 
and as to the cause of his departure ; but it was not 
satisfactorily ascertained what had become of him, 
until four months afterwards, when he once more ap- 
peared amongst us in custody of a serjeant and party. 
The account which the serjeant gave of him is as fol- 
lows : The second Battalion of the second Regt. of 
native infantry on their march, halted a few days in 
the neighbourhood of a Hindoo temple. Some of 
the Sepoys, in passing the front of the temple, per- 
ceived a man lying at the gate with different parts of 
his body besmeared with cow-dung as is the custom 
among Hindoo zealots, and on approaching nearer, 
they recognized him as a soldier of the 78th, in fact it 
was no other than my friend Jones. They immediately 
mentioned the circumstance to an officer, also a Se- 
poy, who went to the spot and spoke to him, asking 
him his reason for deserting, and lying in that place 
in such a condition. He answered that he was tired 
of the world, and that he was determined to continue 
as he was. The officer then left him and went 
to the commanding officer of his Regiment, who was 
an Englishman, and informed him of the circum- 
stance, who also went and spoke to Jones. He 
asked him his reasons for his singular conduct, and 
received the same answer that had been before given 
by him. The officer then desired him to get up and 
prepare for a march to his Regiment, under the 



137 

charge of an escort. Upon his arrival at the Regt., 
he was put into confinement, and remained so for 
ten days, when he was again set at liberty, and once 
more entered upon his duties. You will no doubt 
wonder at his getting off so easily, and I can only 
account for it from the circumstance of his having 
rendered such good service in his former regiment. 
He continued to do his duty in the regiment as 
usual, and accompanied it to Java ; but no sooner 
had we landed on that island than he again disap- 
peared, and was never again seen or heard of. Yours, 
&e. The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XXX. 

My Dear Friend, 

During our stay in the Island of Goa, the 
mess of which I formed a part, was abominably 
cheated by a Hindoo who undertook to supply us 
with milk ; for instead of that commodity, he 
gave us an article composed of the juice of cocoa 
nut and chinam. Although we all along consider- 
ed the milk, with which he furnished us, to be 
very indifferent in its quality, yet, it was some time 
before we discovered the exact nature of the cheat 
he put upon us. When we did at last discover it, 
we determined to play him a trick in return, that 



138 

would make him smart for his roguery. Many dif- 
ferent modes of punishment were proposed ; but at 
last it was agreed that the management of the affair 
should be left to me. My plan was to cause him to 
lose caste through his own act. 

The Hindoos are not allowed, by their religion, to 
eat any thing that has been imbued with life, and 
should any eat thereof, he loses caste, and must, 
to regain it, either pay down a handsome sum to 
his priest, or otherwise undergo a severe penance. — 
My object, therefore, was to get bur Hindoo milk- 
man to eat something of this sort, and that without 
using force. For this purpose I procured a piece 
of cheese in which there were mites, but so minute 
as to be undiscernable, without the aid of a micros- 
cope. On the subsequent morning, I placed it on 
the table ; and on the arrival of the milk-man I took 
a piece of it myself, at the same time offering some 
to him which he took and eat up greedily. I then 
took the remainder, and placing it under a mieros- 
cppe, of which I had obtained a loan for the occasion, 
shewed the Hindoo the mites moving in it, and thus 
convinced him that he had eat living animals, and 
had lost caste. No sooner did he perceive this, 
than he set up a terrible cry, saying that he was a 
ruined man ; that he had lost caste, and he had no 
money to redeem himself. There was no one pres- 
ent enjoyed the sport more than our cook, who was 
himself a Hindoo, and had also lost caste. He 
seemed quite delighted to have a partner in misfor- 



139 

tune. The milkman went immediately and lodged 
a complaint against me with the commanding officer, 
who instantly sent for me ; but upon my explaining 
the reason for doing what I had done to the man, he 
dismissed me. 

At the time the regiment lay at Goa, there was a 
private belonging to the company of which I was 
one of the sergeants, of the name of Richard Dove. 
He was an Englishman, or as he himself used to 
term it, " a native of merry England." He was an 
enthusiast in music, and a good performer on the 
violin. I recollect one night being on guard toge- 
ther, Richard was placed on duty as a sentry, about 
the middle of the night, and when the corporal went 
to relieve him, he found him with his fiddle shouldered 
instead of his musket, playing away right merrily. 
How he had got his fiddle there, no one could tell, 
although we suspected that after he had been sta- 
tioned, he had left his post and gone to his room to 
procure it. Upon his return to the guard-room, the 
corporal reported the matter to me as serjeant of the 
guard and however unwilling, I had no alternative 
but to put Richard under arrest, and to report it 
in the morning to the officer of the guard. It was a 
fortunate thing for the poor fellow, that the officer 
on duty at that time, was not one of those who delight- 
ed in a rigid performance of their duty, but was rather 
one who was inclined always to take the most favor- 
able view of matters regarding any poor fellow, 
against whom their was a complaint. In making 



140 

my report of Richard's case to the officer, I did the 
best I could for him, and at the same time, I remind- 
ed the officer that when music was in the question 
he was not famous for acting the most rational 
part. Richard was, therefore, fortunate enough to get 
off with an injunction to take better care for the 
future, and to get into no more such scrapes. From 
this period, Richard became much attached to me, 
conceiving that he was in a considerable degree in- 
debted to me for his escape from punishment. 
Yours, &c. The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XXXI. 

My Dear Friend, 

Subsequent to the event mentioned in the 
preceeding letter, Richard and I were a good deal 
together, and I got from him an account of his for- 
mer life ; a few particulars of which, I think, will not 
prove altogether uninteresting, and, shall, therefore, 
proceed to narrate them. 

He was born in London, and was bred to the busi- 
ness of an upholsterer. Shortly after his time of 
service expired, an aunt died and left him a property? 
in Leadenhall street, which he disposed of for £4000. 
He now gave up business and commenced gen- 
tleman, making pleasure his sole object. He fre- 



141 

quented all places of public amusement, and engaged 
in all sorts of debauchery and riot. He spent much 
of his time, and of course, a good deal of his money, 
in the company of females, not of the most reputable 
sort. At the end of the first year he found that one 
thousand, out of his four thousand pounds, was irre- 
trievably gone. He, therefore, resolved to change his 
mode of living, and for this purpose he thought it best 
for him to get married. He paid his addresses to a 
very pretty girl of his acquaintance, which she ac- 
cepted, and they were speedily married. It did not, 
however, answer his expectations, for instead of living 
more moderately, his money disappeared quicker 
than ever. They no doubt, he said, spent a merry 
life, but it was not of long endurance, as the cash 
was daily becoming less and less ; at last it was re- 
duced to the sum of two hundred pounds. One day 
about this time, his wife went out, telling him that 
she was going to visit her step-mother, which she 
was frequently in the habit of doing and also of stay- 
ing a considerable time; but when the evening set in 
and at length closed, without her appearing, he 
became a little astonished. He, however, w r aited till 
the morning, and then went to her step-mother's, 
when he discovered that she had set off to Ireland, 
in company with an officer, a native of that country. 
Thus did he get rid of both his money and his wife, 
at the same time, and in my opinion the former was 
the only loss. 

He heard nothing more of his wife for a consider- 



142 

able time ; but at length he received a letter from 
her, stating, that the person who had induced her to 
forsake him, had gone to join his Regt. in Portugal, 
and left her in such destitute circumstances, that she 
had been compelled to sell the best of her clothes in 
order to pay her lodgings, and procure present sus- 
tenance, and that she knew not what to do or where 
to look for her future support. Immediately on re- 
ceiving her letter, Richard sold a gold watch, which 
had cost him £60, for £30 : — of this sum, he sent 
£10 to the miserable woman. In about three weeks 
after, she returned to London and again joined him, 
when he perceived that disease had made sad havoc 
upon her constitution, and, she appeared, in fact, to be 
in the last stage of a decline. Every thing that could 
be done for her, by medicine and kind treatment was 
tried, but in vain, for she died about two months 
subsequent to her return. 

After this event Richard sold all his furniture, 
left London, and went to Portsmouth, where he 
took up his residence in the family of a brother 
who was on board a man-of-war, at that time in the 
Mediterranean. On his brother's return home, how- 
ever, he upbraided Richard for his past misconduct, 
and his present idleness, and told him that he had 
better look out for employment. He immediately left 
the house, and entered himself on board a frigate 
bound for the East Indies. The vessel sailed for 
Bombay, where she arrived in safety. Some time 
after her arrival, he got leave to go ashore along 



143 

with some others, with strict injunctions to return to 
the vessel in the evening. However, Richard and 
one of his cronies indulged so freely in their pota- 
tions, as to become perfectly oblivious to the order 
for their return to the vessel that same evening. 
Next morning, upon their becoming sober, they re- 
collected it, and at the same time became conscious 
that they would be most likely to receive a round 
dozen or two for their neglect of orders. They, there- 
fore, resolved to abandon the frigate ; and having 
kept themselves out of the way for a time, they sub- 
sequently entered on board a vessel trading between 
Bombay and Ceylon. As they had left all their things 
on board the frigate, they procured an advance 
from the master, to purchase a few necessaries — which 
having got, they immediately afterwards set sail. 
They had been but a short time out, w T hen they 
had the misfortune to be captured by a French fri- 
gate, and carried to the Isle of France where thev 
remained until the Island was taken by the British, 
when they w T ere set at liberty. During their stay on 
the Island, every inducement was held out to them 
to join the French service. Richard could not be 
induced to do so, but his comrade joined the frigate 
that had captured them. After the taking of the 
Isle of France by the British, Richard returned once 
more to Bombay. Having taken a strong dislike to 
the sea service, he resolved not to return to it but to 
make trial of a soldier's life, and enlisted in the 78th 
Rect., w T hich was then stationed at the above place, 



144 

During the period that Richard served with us, it 
had become a very common practice with some of 
our men to sell their allowance of arrack to those of 
their comrades who wanted to purchase it. By this 
means drunkenness became so prevalent that it was 
necessary that some official steps should be taken to 
put a stop to a practice of so deleterious a nature. A 
regimental order was issued, that the arrack in future 
should be served out diluted with a certain quantity of 
water, and that each man should drink his allowance 
in the presence of the non-commissioned officers. 
Those of the Regt. who had never either sold or 
bought any allowance of arrack, felt so much hurt 
at being included in this order, that they remon- 
strated with their officers, and, in consequence the 
order was afterwards altered, so as to exclude all 
those who had not been guilty of this obnoxious act. 
My friend Richard had been regularly in the habit 
of selling his allowance, and he felt annoyed at not 
having it in his power to continue the practice. Ac- 
cordingly the very first day when his allowance was 
presented to him, and he was desired to drink it off, 
he said to the orderly serjeant, " I will see you 

d d first," at the same time throwing the grog in 

his face. For this offence he was condemned to 
thirty days hard labour, but not half the period had 
passed, when he was seized with a brain fever, 
brought on by the excessive heat and severity of the 
labour he had to perform. He was taken to the 



145 

hospital, and every thing done for him, but in three 
days he breathed his last. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XXXII. 

My Dear Friend, 

One of the most amusing fellows in the Regt. 
was John Palmer. He joined us in India from the 
depot, and remained about three years in the Regt. 
He was a young man of respectable connexions, and 
had received an education superior to what generally 
falls to the lot of any found in the ranks. He 
had served some time as a midshipman, but disliking 
the service, abandoned it and returned home, which 
so much displeased his relations, that they turned 
their backs upon him. In consequence, he again left 
home, and, without the knowledge of his friends, en- 
listed in the 78th, and it was not until he had been 
some time with us, that he informed them of his new 
occupation, or anything as to his proceedings subse- 
quent to his leaving them. When his friends became 
acquainted with his situation, he used frequently to 
receive money from home. After serving three years, 
he was bought off, and returned to England, when 
his father purchased him a commission in another 
Regiment. 



146 

Palmer was one of the merriest light-hearted 
young fellows I ever knew, and many an evening did 
he keep us in a roar of laughter. His store of anec- 
dote seemed inexhau stable, and his manner of relat- 
ing them unequalled. At comic songs, especially 
Irish ones, he had few equals. His powers of ventrilo- 
quism were astonishing, and I often yet fancy I see 
him in the midst of a group of us, teaching an 
imaginary class of youngsters, in imitation of his 
dancing master — the instructions and scolding of the 
master, mixed up with a treatise on etiquette, so 
comically expressed, that peals of laughter would 
succeed one another, until both the performer and 
his audience were alike exhausted. The variations of 
his voice, from the admonitions of the master, to the 
squalling and crying of the pupils, was a treat equal 
to anything to be met with on the stage ; after which 
he would give specimens of ventriloquism, in imita- 
tion of dogs, cats, pigs, a carpenter at work with his 
saw and plane, the fizzing of a frying pan, iStc. so ad- 
mirably correct, that one would almost doubt the na- 
ture of the deception. His pleasing manners and 
generous heart made him a favourite with us all, and 
there was not a woman in the Regt. but would have 
done anything to serve him. John had a great par- 
tiality for the fair sex, and wherever we happened to 
be quartered, he was sure to pick up a sweetheart. 
In Java, he had the imprudence to pay his addresses 
to the wife of a Dutch settler; and Mynheer, having 
suspected something, one day returned from market at 



147 

an unusually early hour and found John in the house. 
John knew nothing of the Dutchman's lingo, and 
the other as little of his. The Dutchman stamped 
like a madman, and swore most furiously, and the 
Englishman was busy offering polite explanations, 
when he w r as saluted by a blow with a cudgel, which 
felled him to the ground, and rendered him senseless 
as to what followed. When he recovered, he found 
himself lying in some brushwood by the road-side, 
with all his clothes off, and his body covered over 
with red paint. He accosted several who were pass- 
ing along the road, with the intention of sending a 
message to some of his comrades, but they no sooner 
got a sight of him, than they ran off terror struck. — 
He remained in the wood till dusk, when he ap- 
proached near the barracks, and hailed some of the 
men, who got him smuggled in; when, after a goodly 
consumption of soap and hot water, " Richard was 
himself again." 

A serjeant belonging to our Regt. had a small four 
wheeled carriage, to which he used to harness a pair of 
fine goats, and drive tandem-fashion along the road. 
John took it into his head that he would outdo the 
serjeant, and accordingly set about training four pigs, 
which, in a short time, he made so tractable, that he 
appeared in public, to the great amusement of the 
settlers, who used to turn out and laugh heartily at 
his freak. One day when he was taking his drive, a 
settler was making his way past with a cart, and his 
horse taking fright at this odd turn out, commenced 



148 

capering and rearing, when John tried to bring up 
his pigs; but before he had time to do so, the horse 
was dancing over the whole affair, and he found 
himself upset and rolled into a ditch, his vehicle 
smashed to pieces, and one of his stud with its leg 
broken. This put John completely out of conceit of 
driving. 

Palmer, along with a few of us, was strolling 
one evening by the sea side ; two boys who were 
amusing themselves in a small skiff, were caught by 
a breeze that sprung up, and the bark was carried to 
a point where the breakers were running high. It 
had scarcely got amongst them when it upset, which 
Palmer, who was an expert swimmer, no sooner wit- 
nessed, than he stripped off what clothes he could, in 
the hurry, and plunged in to save them. By the 
time he reached the breakers, one of the boys had 
sunk, the other he got hold of, and after great exer- 
tion, brought him ashore, both of them much ex- 
hausted. The boy's father came to the barracks in 
search of Palmer, the next day, and after embracing 
him, and shedding a flood of tears, offered him 
money to any amount ; but John would receive no 
remuneration. It was like him. 

Before leaving us, he gave an entertainment to the 
company to which he belonged, and a joyous night 
we had. John, as usual, was all humour and fun, 
and the dance was kept up till day-break, enlivened 
by the soul-stirring music of our band. Yours, &c. 
The Commuted Pensioner, 



140 



LETTER XXXIII. 



My Dear Friend, 

A private joined us while stationed in the Island 
of Goa from the second Battalion, of the name of 
Rory Anderson. Rory, although bearing the Saxon 
patronymic of Anderson, was of true Celtic descent 
He was of the clan Gregor ; and when upon the pro- 
scription of that clan, the remnant of it found it ne- 
cessary to adopt some other designation, that they 
might avoid the consequences of that proscription, 
Rory's progenitors assumed the safer though less ro- 
mantic name of Anderson. Rory was a very hand- 
some, good-humoured fellow, an ardent lover of the 
fair sex, and was himself likewise a great favorite 
with them. One of his amours, however, turned out 
rather unfortunately for my friend Rory, and was the 
cause of his leaving home and becoming a soldier. 
A young Rory made his appearance without the 
priest having pronounced the nuptial benediction 
upon the father and mother. For this offence, Rorv 
was decreed by the Kirk Session to be exalted upon 
the stool of repentance, commonly called the " cutty 
stool ;" but he being a lad of modesty, was by no 
means ambitious of the preferment. The decrees of 
the session upon cases of that sort are, however, 



150 

like the laws of the Medes and Persians, irre- 
vocable, and Rory's only safety, therefore, lay in 
flight. He accordingly abandoned his highland 
home, and wended his way to the lowlands. Upon 
his arrival in Aberdeen, he met with a recruiting Ser- 
jeant who was his countryman, and with him he ad- 
journed to a tavern to have a social glass. They had 
not been long together, however, before Rory was 
induced by the flattering representations of his coun- 
tryman, to become a soldier, and the next morning 
he was sworn, and immediately dispatched to join the 
second Battalion of the 78th, then stationed at Fort 
George. Shortly after he joined, the Regt. was or- 
dered on foreign service, and the place of their des- 
tination was Calabria ; when, after a successful 
campaign, in which my friend saw a good deal of ser- 
vice, but which it is unnecessary to particularize, the 
Regiment was ordered to Messina, in the Island of 
Sicily. 

In such a place as Messina, you may very readily 
imagine, that a handsome youth like Rory would be 
at no loss for opportunities to gratify his amorous 
propensities. Many a story did he tell me of his 
adventures in the court of Cupid while he remained 
in that place ; one or two of which I shall give you as 
a specimen. 

One evening, Rory had been indulging himself 
with some of his comrades, in a wine-house, and 
when he was returning to his quarters, " no that fou 
but unco happy," he encountered a damsel, who tak- 



151 

ing his fancy, he resolved to make up to her, and, 

notwithstanding their ignorance of each other's lan- 
es © 

guage, they speedily formed an acquaintance, which 
resulted in Rory's accompanying the frail-fair to her 
residence, and there spending the night, without his 
ever for a moment recollecting, that he ought, in- 
stead, to have been in his quarters. Next morning, 
however, the recollection returned, and with it the 
dread of punishment for his disobedience. Knowing 
that he had a good friend in the Adjutant, on his 
return he immediately repaired to that gentleman, 
and told him exactly how matters stood, who allowed 
him to escape at that time, with an injunction, never 
to offend in the same way again, otherwise he would 
not get off so easily. 

Another adventure which Rory had, and from 
which he did not escape so fortunately was the 
following. The cava sposa of a person of some 
consequence in the city, having taken a liking 
to Rory's handsome person, procured a private 
meeting with him ; and this was succeeded by many 
others, which contributed greatly both to his plea- 
sure and profit, as the lady was exceedingly liberal 
in her gifts; but unfortunately for their mutual 
enjoyment, the jealousy of the lady's husband 
induced him to watch her, and one evening he 
caught poor Rory, just as he was emerging from the 
house, and after the Sicilian fashion, complimented 
him with a blow with his stiletto. The force of the 
blow completely stunned him, but fortunately the 



152 

weapon glanced upon his ribs, thus rendering the 
wound comparatively trifling. When he recovered 
from the effects of the blow ha found himself lying 
upon the street, without any one near him. He got 
up, and made the best of his way to his quarters, 
and got his wound dressed, which soon healed. He, 
however, never ventured to pay another visit to the 
lady during the short remainder of his stay in Sicily. 
An order having arrived for the Regiment to 
join the forces in Egypt, the men were imme- 
diately embarked, and after a short voyage landed 
there. Not long after the landing of the Regi- 
ment, an encounter took place with the Turks, in 
which the 78th suffered severely, and Rory, with many- 
others were made prisoners. The prisoners were all 
crowded up into a place scarcely fit for the reception 
of pigs, and there kept in confinement for some 
length of time. They got very little food, and that 
of the very worst description. They were at last 
relieved from their wretched confinement for the 
purpose of being disposed of to different masters. It 
was Rory's fortune to become the property of a 
Bashaw, and at the first was put to labour in his 
gardens. He had not been very long in that situa- 
tion before he attracted the notice of the ladies of 
the Bashaw's harem. It did not require much en- 
couragement, on the part of the females, to induce 
Rory to endeavour to find means to visit them in their 
retreat, and he soon contrived to get an entrance into 
the forbidden apartments, and was much pleased with 



153 

the reception he met with. He repeated his visits 
more than once ; but they were not to have a long 
continuance. On one occasion, while they were 
in the height of their merriment, they were all 
thrown into the greatest consternation by an unex- 
pected visit paid by the Bashaw to the harem. — 
To escape was impossible, nor was there any means 
of procuring concealment ; he had, therefore, no 
alternative but to await the consequences of his rash- 
ness. The astonishment of the Bashaw, when he 
discovered Rory in the apartments of his women, 
was beyond description; but no sooner did he recover 
from his surprise than he ordered him to be seized 
and the bastinado to be applied. This was by no 
means agreeable to Rory, who petitioned hard for 
pardon, and at last the Bashaw agreed to pardon him, 
upon condition that he would change his religion and 
become Mussulman. This Rory agreed to, and w 7 as 
accordingly circumcised, had his head shaved, and 
got himself dressed out in the Turkish costume. He 
had no longer to labour in the gardens — it was now 
his duty to w 7 ait on the Bashaw and attend him in 
his excursions. Rory very shortly became a great 
favorite with his master, who made him a present of 
a beautiful slave for a wife. Notwithstanding all this 
kindness, Rory felt far from satisfied in his new situa- 
tion, and felt a vehement longing for home. He, 
therefore, determined to effect his escape as soon as 
possible. Not long after, an opportunity occurred 
during an excursion in which he accompanied his 



154 

master, when passing at no great distance from Alexan- 
dria, then in the occupation of the British, he dropt 
behind the rest of the party, and no sooner were 
they out of sight, than he put spurs to his horse and 
crossed the country towards that city, which he 
soon gained. On approaching the city he was very 
near getting shot by a sentinel, who mistook him for 
a Turk ; but having made known who and what he 
was, he was admitted and once more joined his 
Regiment and resumed his former dress. He sold 
his horse, but his dress and other accoutrements he 
kept and took with him to Britain. Peace having 
been established, his Regt. returned home ; but they 
had not long been there before a draught of the most 
efficient of the men was ordered to join the first 
Battalion of the Regt. then in the Island of Goa. — 
Amongst this number was Rory. 

Whether from greater caution in the pursuit of 
adventure, or whether his love of adventure itself 
had been cooled I cannot say, but certain it is, that 
Rory got into no scrapes during the time he and I 
were fellow soldiers. In the Regt. he was a general 
favorite, and was esteemed a good-hearted, jovial 
fellow. He was likewise an excellent and a brave 
soldier. I left him with the Regiment. 

Yours, &c, 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



155 



LETTER XXXIV. 



My Dear Friend, 

During the war it was a common practice to 
empty the prisons to make up the numbers required 
for the army and navy; and pickpockets, thieves, and 
riotous drunkards were indiscriminately admitted in- 
to both services, — a practice which had its baneful 
effects. 

When a criminal was convicted at the bar of the 
police, he generally had his choice, either to be sent 
to hard labour, in a house of correction, or enter the 
service ; the latter alternative was too often preferred. 
The consequences of such an arrangement was soon 
perceived. The 78th got a few of those gentlemen ; 
and generally speaking, they disgraced us. One 
fellow of the name of Potter, was, without exception, 
the most incorrigible blackguard I ever met with, 
either in the service or out of it. He was flogged se- 
veral times, and lived as much in the black hole and 
hospital as in the barracks. He had been tried for 
theft, disobedience, insolence, drunkenness and riot, 
times without number.— Still he was the same. 

Being a pugilist, and a stout well built man, he 
considered himself the bully of the Regt., and for a 
long time he certainly did crow over us ; but " every 



156 

dog has its day." A strapping Irishman of the name 
of O'Neil having been grossly insulted by him, re- 
sented it, when a challenge for a boxing match was 
given to O'Neil, which he accepted. About twenty 
of us who were in the secret, repaired to the spot at 
the appointed time, to see fair play; or rather, as we 
dreaded, to see O'Neil get sadly drubbed, for we 
never supposed him to be any thing like a match for 
his opponent. Potter, in his usual insolent manner, 
commenced blackguarding and saying every thing he 
could to ruffle the temper of O'Neil, who never 
opened his mouth in reply, but commenced to peel. 
Potter followed the example, and the seconds and 
bottle holders having stepped forward, the two com- 
batants set to work — Potter swearing and railing — 
O'Neil mute as a mummy. 

At first O'Neil acted on the defensive, and con- 
tinued that system until he saw, that with rage and 
exertion, his antagonist was getting exhausted, when 
he struck in upon him, and kept following him up 
with a degree of courage and effect that delighted 
his own party. Potter, finding that his task was not 
quite so easy as he supposed, tried what he could 
do by making a sudden rush upon his antagonist; 
but O'Neil convinced him that he could take him 
on that tack also, and kept increasing the amount of 
punishment. After fighting for upwards of half an 
hour, Potter was knocked up, and O'Neil declared 
victor, to the great joy of most present. 



157 

On our return to the barracks, one of Potter's 
party accused O'Neil of cowardice at the outset of the 
battle, which O' Neil's second repelled, and the two 
getting first to high words and then to blows, ano- 
ther battle commenced. They caught hold of each 
other, and falling, continued to roll about, when a 
few of us ran forward to separate them, and our inten- 
tions having been mistaken, we were beset by others. 
A general battle ensued, which was beginning to 
assume a rather serious appearance, when the guard 
was turned out, and the whole of us taken prisoners. 
What with black eyes, bloody noses and torn clothes, 
we certainly formed a strange group. Next morning, 
an investigation was made into the matter, and we 
received a severe reprimand, and Potter was ordered 
to the hospital, until his face, which was much dis- 
figured, would resume its natural appearance. 

I have no doubt the principals, at least, would 
not have escaped so easily, but for the circumstance 
of O'Neil being a favourite with the officers gener- 
ally, which his brave conduct in the field, in saving the 
life of a young officer, had justly rendered him; and it 
would have been impossible to have allowed him to 
escape if any of the others had been punished. — 
O'Neil, from his general good behaviour, would 
have received promotion, had he possessed educa- 
tion to have enabled him to act as a non-commis- 
sioned officer. 

What I have alluded to respecting O' Neil's bra- 
very, occurred at Cornelius. One of our guns which 



158 

greatly annoyed the 4nemy, causing much slaughter 
among them, formed an object of attack on their 
part, with the hope of capturing it; and owing to 
the dense smoke, the party had advanced to within 
one hundred feet of it, before they were observed; 
but they were no sooner discovered, than the order 
to charge was given. The ground being very un- 
even, both lines became broken, and in following 
up the retreating enemy, our left got in amongst 
them and committed great havoc. In this part of 
the fray, one of our Ensigns seemed to be marked 
out by a serjeant of the enemy as a victim, who, 
at the distance of three yards, fired at him, and hav- 
ing only wounded him slightly, had grasped his 
musket to run him through, when O'Neil perceiv- 
ing his intention, at one bound, sprung upon tha 
serjeant, and plunged his bayonet into his body. 

Potter, after his encounter with O'Neil, bore him- 
self much more meekly amongst us, and it was evi- 
dent that his defeat had humbled him; but in every 
other respect he went on in the old way, and at 
last died in the hospital, ^vorn out with disease and 
debauchery. 

Yours, &c, 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



159 



LETTER XXXT. 

My Dear Friend, 

I will now detail to you two love affairs which 
came under my observation, both partaking of the 
ridiculous, but proving the adage of the poet, that 

*« Love rules the camp." 

The individual I shall first attempt to describe 
was a private in our Regt, a fine looking young fel- 
low of the light company, but who had a mighty 
conceit of his personal appearance, with a strong 
tinge of romance, which had been greatly fostered by 
poring over novels of every description that he could 
get hold of. 

Bob , which was his name, imagined that 

every woman that saw him was enraptured with his 
elegant person ; and as his capering gait could not 
but attract their attention, he was sure to place the 
curiosity which his appearance created, to the credit 
of his conquests. 

There was a respectable family that lived near our 
barracks, in which there were three young ladies, and 
Bob in his rambles generally strolled in that direc- 
tion, strutting past the house with all the pride and 
pomp of a peacock ; and having managed to attract 



160 

their attention, he concluded he had also made an 
impression upon their hearts. 

His conduct having been observed by some of us, 
a practical joke was played off upon him which af- 
forded much merriment, and might have made Bob 
exclaim in the words of the Bard, that 

" The course of true love did never yet run smooth." 

A letter was brought to the barracks, addressed 
to Bob, expressive of the desire the writer had to ob- 
tain an interview with him, and appointing the place 
and time of meeting. Bob's movements were 
closely watched, and it was with difficulty our laugh- 
ter could be suppressed, on observing him, every 
now and then taking a peep into a small looking 
glass trimming up his bushy whiskers and giving 
the locks at his temples a twitch, to set their curl 
more elegantly. Bob seemed quite restless and ab- 
sorbed. 

The hour having at last arrived, off he set in the 
usual direction, and passed the house on his way to 
the place appointed for the interview. Shortly after 
he had taken up his position, he perceived a female 
moving along the road, in a very slow lady-like pace, 
who no sooner approached than Bob commenced 
bowing and scraping like a dancing master, seeming 
quite delighted at the modest manner in which he was 
acknowledged; and bringing himself up alongside 
of her, they walked slowly on conversing with each 
other, until they approached a place where a party of 



161 

us were lying in ambush. The lady, who was aware 
of our presence, on seeing us squatted among the 
bushes, burst into a loud laugh, being unable to con- 
tain her gravity any longer. Bob being ignorant of the 
cause of such conduct on her part, took it into his 
head that her feelings had become so excited, that 
she had fallen into hysterics; and putting his arm 
round her waist, to support her, his hand came in 
contact with something which felt like the buttons of 
a coat, secreted under the gown ; thereby unveiling 
the plot, which so enraged him, that he was about 
to inflict summary punishment on the damsel, when 
we stepped forward to her protection, and Bob made 
off, vowing vengeance. 

The lady, who was a drummer in the 86th, highly 
amused us with a detail of Bob's polite talk. Poor 
Bob was sadly annoyed with the affair ever after. 
Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XXXVI, 

My Dear Friend, 

The other love affair which I promised to relate, 
occurred on board the Java, on our homeward voy- 
age. This victim of Cupid was a strapping Irish 
gentleman, Captain , of the 89th, returning to 



162 

Britain on leave, in bad health. He was as hand- 
some a man as you could see, and not less than six 
feet in height. He received his wound from the eyes 
of the widow of a Lieut.- Colonel who w 7 as also a 
passenger, and as the lady refused to listen to his 
addresses, he acted like a madman. She could not 
appear in his presence without annoyance, and was at 
last obliged to shut herself up in her little state 
room. The Captain of the ship remonstrated with 
him on the impropriety of his conduct, as also several 
of the passengers ; but without effect, as he became 
daily worse, and threatened to take away his life if 
the lady would not accept his hand. When the lady 
was shut up in her cabin, he would walk about the 
door, entreating her in the most humble whine, 
" only to listen to one word — och, my dear lady, one 
word, one w r ord — won't you speak to me lady — won't 
you speak to me," and in this way he would go on 
for hours. 

On one occasion he became so very outragious that 
he had to be bound with ropes to prevent him com- 
mitting suicide, which had the effect for a few days 
of cooling him. His love for the lady, however, was 
no way abated, and finding all his endeavours to gain 
her in vain, he once more determined to put an 
end to his existence by blowing his brains out. In 
his hurry to perpetrate the deed contemplated, he 
loaded his pistol with the ball downwards and in 
tiring, the powder only flashed in the pan. 

The most humorous circumstance which happened 



163 

him, was an attempt to throw himself on the mercy 
of old Neptune, and for this purpose he tried to get 
through the port hole of his little cabin. His head 
and one of his arms got outside the vessel, and there 
he stuck able neither to advance nor retreat. A voice 
was heard, as if from the mighty deep, bewailing in 
the most disconsolate tones, its unfortunate situa- 
tion, when one of the Jacks, looking over the ship's 
side, discovered the Captain writhing and twisting 
away to extricate himself. The alarm was given, 
and an attempt made to draw the badger from be- 
hind ; but that was impossible, and to pull him for- 
ward was equally hopeless, as by far the most bulky 
part of his person remained inside. A consultation 
was held, when a carpenter, with his mallet and chis- 
sel, was swung over the ship, and after chipping a 
goodly piece out of the port hole, our love-stricken 
Captain was released. Still he continued in his old 
strain, and at last refused to shave or take any food. 
How long this resolution w T ould have been kept, I 
know not, as his perseverance, joined with the en- 
treaties of the captain of the ship, gained the day. 

The lady consented, which restored him to his 
usual temperament, and as we soon after arrived at 
St. Helena, they were married. 

On the boat, containing the newly married pair, 
and the party that accompanied them, putting off 
from the island, the colours were hoisted and a sa- 
lute fired, and when they came alongside, the yards 



164 

were manned to give them three hearty cheers as a 
welcome back again, which gratified the Captain so 
much, that he requested the commander of the ship 
to allow the sailors and soldiers some amusement; to 
which he readily complied, and an allowance of grog 
was served out. All hands set to work, clearing the 
decks for a dance, and scrubbing off their beards, 
that they might cut as respectable a figure as possi- 
ble. The dance and song was kept up with great 
glee and humour to a late hour. I could not but 
observe the superiority of the French prisoners in 
dancing — indeed some of them were elegant in their 
movements. The real Jack tar style of dance, was 
also well executed by some of our own sailors. 

During the course of the evening, the newly mar- 
ried Captain, along with some of the other passen- 
gers and officers of the ship, paid us a visit, when one 
of our party, who was appointed spokesman, delivered 
a short address, tendering to him our hearty wishes 
for the future happiness of himself and lady, and 
thanking him for his recommendation of us to the 
Commander. After a short reply on the part of 
the Captain, they returned under cover of three 
cheers, and one more, when we again resumed the 
festivities of the evening.' 

Among the officers of the ship, there- was a mid- 
shipman who was on his first voyage, and which he 
often declared should be his last. He was better 
known by the cognomen of Booby Jack, than that 



165 

which he received at his christening, and was the 
continual butt of his messmates. 

While lying off St. Helena, the midshipmen got 
leave to go ashore to spend a day on the island, and 
Booby Jack along with the rest. They all set off, 
rigged out in their best attire, to have a spree, as 
they called it, by way of breaking in upon the tedium 
of a long voyage; but however much the others 
enjoyed themselves, Jack, I dare say, felt very glad 
to get on board again. 

In order to annoy poor Jack, and to cause some 
amusement to themselves, they got a woman on 
the island to claim him as her husband ; and having 
acquainted her with some of the names and circum- 
stances connected with his family, in order to give a 
colouring of truth to the affair, placed Jack in a sad 
dilemma. It was in vain for him to explain to his 
messmates ; for however anxious they seemed in his 
favour, appearances were so much against him, that 
they could not take his part in the matter. Thus the 
joke was carried on for several hours, at the expense 
of poor Booby, and to the great delight of the whole 
company. As evening was drawing on, and the time 
for their return to the ship at hand, it was found 
necessary to put an end, for the present, to the whole 
affair; one of his companions proposed to the woman 
that they all would become bail for his appearance 
next day, if she would allow him to go along with 
them. To this she readily consented, to the great 
joy of Jack, who promised to return, and to bring 



166 

the Captain with him, who would prove the falsity of 
the accusation. 

After Jack arrived on board, he embraced the first 
opportunity of informing the Captain of all that 
had occurred, and requesting his interference. A 
very little of his story explained to the Captain the 
nature of the charge which seemed so mysterious to 
Booby, who told him that now he was on board it 
would be as well for him to remain there, in case, on 
his next trip, a plurality of wives should start up, as 
he had known several good-looking fellows kidnapped 
in that way. Jack thought he had made a very 
narrow escape, and I doubt not, would relate it on his 
return home, as one of the many perils he had en- 
countered since entering the service. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER XXXVII. 

My Dear Friend, 

You are probably aware that India is a great 
mart for British productions; but there is one ar- 
ticle which forms a part of Indian commerce, of 
which perhaps you may be ignorant — that is shipping 
ladies on a matrimonial speculation ; and scarcely a 
vessel belonging to the East India Company arrives 
without a few of them. Thev are no sooner finished 



167 

with their education, than they are fitted out for a 
voyage to one of the seats of Government, and are 
often married before they are many weeks in the coun- 
try, to some of our officers or to respectable civilians. 
They may get wealthier husbands than they could 
expect at home, but to obtain them they must make 
great sacrifices, as the climate is by no means a 
pleasant one. One of our Captains married a lady 
who came out under these circumstances. She was 
accompanied by a lady's maid, who had no reason to 
regret her trip across the ocean, as she far outstripped 
her mistress both in the rank and wealth of her hus- 
band. She was married to a Lieut.- Colonel, who 
had amassed a fortune by his long services and care- 
ful habits, and what was of most value to her, he was 
an excellent man and respected by all who knew him. 
The Colonel might, in point of age, have been her 
father ; but a carriage and all the et ceteras of high 
rank, served as a set off for the inequality of their 
ages, and accounted for spring smiling so fondly in 
the embraces of winter. 

A Lieutenant of the — th Regiment, made one of 
these hurried matches, which proved to him the truth 
of the proverb — " marry in haste and repent at 
leisure." The lady whom he married was the widow 
of a captain of a merchantman, who had died while 
his vessel was lying in port, and as she intended to 
return to Britain in the ship, which was to sail in a 
few weeks, no time could be lost. He wooed her in 
her weeds, and she consented, and as he was ordered 



168 

to a post in the interior, with a small detachment, and 
was unwilling to leave her behind, so her mourning 
robes were laid aside, and the gaiety of the bridal 
dress assumed in their place. This affair turned out 
badly for the Lieutenant, as the lady, besides being 
blessed with a temper like Xantippe, had likewise a 
strong predilection for the bottle, and from the com- 
mencement they led a very unhappy life. From a 
lively happy man, he became thoughtful and miser- 
able. 

The Lieutenant having occasion to leave home for 
a few days, to attend a Court Martial, she broke out 
in a more outragious manner than ever, and con- 
tinued drunk most of the time he was absent, — her 
native attendants having sometimes to fly the house, 
as she threatened to murder them. When on parade 
one evening we were surprised to see her step out of 
the house dressed up with her husband's hat, sword 
and sash, stagger over to the company, and draw 
herself up in the most soldier-like style on their 
front, when she informed them, that they were " a 

set of d d dirty rascals, that they disgraced the 

service, and she intended having every soul of them 
flogged, now that she had got the command, — and 
as for you, serjeant, I shall reduce you." How 
Jong this harangue might have continued, it is im- 
possible to say, as they were marched off to a little 
distance, and dismissed, leaving her behind dealing 
out her imprecations on them. The Lieutenant, 
on his return, got information of her behaviour 



169 

during his absence; and I suppose, seeing her case a 
hopeless one, he took her away from the station. I 
believe she was afterwards sent home to Britain ; at 
least we never saw any more of her. 

It was not to be wondered at, that marriages con- 
tracted so hurridly, by parties who were strangers to 
each other, should sometimes have turned out un- 
happy — my surprise was that the instances were not 
more frequent. 

The British ladies who sojourn in India fade very 
fast, — the warm climate, and want of exercise out of 
doors, which can only be taken for a very short 
period of the day, are much against them. Their 
rosy cheeks and ruby lips soon become pale, and 
their bodies lose their firmness and elasticity and be- 
come relaxed ; the consequences of the life of inac- 
tivity and indolence which they lead. The climate 
has also very pernicious effects on the constitutions 
of the children of Europeans, as few of them ever 
arrive at the age of maturity unless taken out of 
the country ; for which cause, as well as that they 
may have the benefit of a better education than can 
be procured there, the parents generally send them 
to Britain at a very early age. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



170 



LETTER XXXVIII. 



My Dear Friend, 

It was a common practice with us in India to 
keep our birth days, and any man that bore a fair 
character with his officers, could, on application, get 
a day's leave. Our usual plan was to give some little 
entertainment to a few of our comrades with whom 
we were most intimate. 

One of our men of the name of Beveridge, applied 
to the Major for a day's leave for that purpose and 
procured it, as also an order to the keeper of the can- 
teen, to allow him to get a gallon of arrack, which 
he brought to the barracks, and carefully deposited 
at the head of his bed, for his intended feast next 
day. A pie was to be added ; and about ten of us 
who were invited to partake of his hospitality and 
wish him " a long life and a merry one/' had laid 
our account for an hour or two's enjoyment. But 
there is often " much between the cup and the lip," 
which was verified in this instance; for Beveridge dis- 
covered, on his birth-day-morning, that his arrack 
bottle had been emptied of its electrifying contents, 
and refilled with nature's pure element. This was a 
mortifying case for us, the invited. A consultation 
was held, when we were soon enabled to fix on 



171 

the individuals, who had committed the theft, and 
Beveridge out of revenge set about preparing a. 
punishment for them, and desired us to take no 
notice of what had been done. 

In place of one pie, as he formerly intended, he 
got materials for a second, and bringing one of them 
home, as if for the feast, placed it on the gallery 
In rear of the barracks to cool, in sight of those 
whom we suspected of having stolen the arrack. The 
bait which was thus set took in the exact manner it 
was intended, for the pie was no sooner exposed to 
their view, and an opportunity occurring, than they 
went, lifted off the top paste and extracted the con- 
tents, then filled the dish with stones, replaced the 
cover, and retired to enjoy themselves on their ill got 
prize. 

The difficulty which now beset us was, where or 
how to procure arrack for the feast, as the hour was 
fast approaching. This we managed, with some little 
trouble, and with the assistance of the cook, though 
not to the extent of the Major's allowance. The 
time having arrived, and the guests assembled, 
Beveridge produced his pie and arrack, to which we 
did ample justice, to the great astonishment of the 
three marauders, who kept hovering about the room, 
expecting every moment to hear an explosion. They 
could hardly believe their senses when they beheld 
the arrack bottle produced, and all of us seemed gra- 
tified with its contents ; but their astonishment was 
tenfold on seeing the pie cut up, and containing 



172 

meat instead of stones. After their curiosity was 
fully awakened, Beveridge requested his guests to eat 
heartily, informing them, that he had another pie, 
which hs produced, and cutting off a part of the 
paste, affected great astonishment at its contents, 
pouring out a volley of oaths on the depredators ; — 
after calming down he put his hand into his pocket, 
remarking, that whoever had committed the act, had 
probably partaken of a greater dainty then they were 
aware of, and produced the head of a cat, the body 
of which had formed the contents of the pie. 

At this moment any one could have picked out 
the thieves, from the uncomfortable aspect of their 
features; and one of them, whose gastronomic powers 
had been more tenderly strung than the others, re- 
tired, " double quick," with evident symptoms that 
he was about to make restitution of his share of the 
plunder. 

The whole affair was detailed to our officers, who 
laughed heartily at this new system of administering 
the cat. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



173 



LETTER XXXIX. 



My Dear Friend, 

While quartered in the Island of Goa, I became 
acquainted with on old man named Joseph Pullinger, 
who had lived many years in the country, and was 
one of the rrost singular characters, both in his 
habits and personal appearance, I have known. From 
his retired mode of life he went by the name of the 
hermit. There was certainly something mysterious 
about him, for, inquisitive as he was, to learn the 
history of any stranger he met with, yet he studiously 
avoided giving any account of himself, beyond what 
he could not conceal. All that was known of him 
was simply, that he came out to India a common 
sailor, but being on the coast for some time he left 
that service and returned to Britain, and in the course 
of three years appeared again in India, where he 
continued to dwell, without any intention or even a 
wish to revisit his native country, from which he had 
been expatriated a second time for at least twenty 
years. When I used to see him he must have been 
about sixty years of age, although he looked much 
older, and had a very dignified appearance. He had 
been a handsome man in his youth, but now stooped 
and had a tremulous gait : still their was something 



174 

noble in the expression of the old man's countenance, 
and his fine white hair and beard, added not a little 
to his interesting and venerable look. His dwelling, 
a small cottage of two apartments, was plainly fur- 
nished, and had a neat garden attached to it, which 
he seemed to take great care of. All about him 
partook of neatness and cleanliness, and every thing 
done about his little establishment was executed by 
himself, even to the washing of his clothes, as no 
female was ever known to enter his dwelling. Attach- 
ed to the little cottage was a sort of out-house with a 
door that communicated with one of the apartments, 
and in which lived what he termed his family, con- 
sisting of various birds, natives of the East, in which 
he took great delight, and must have spent much of 
his time in training. On calling his feathered child- 
ren by name or particular sounds, each, as invited, 
would approach him, and strive with one another for 
his caresses. One beautiful paroquet, in particular, 
used to sit on his shoulder, and as he spoke to it, keep 
rubbing its head on his cheek. Some of these beau- 
tiful creatures he had beside him for several years, 
and the old man used to take great delight in ex- 
patiating on their various habits. 

He told me a story relative to a green parrot that he 
showed me, which was somewhat singular, and proves 
what habit will do with these birds. This bird seemed 
to divide its time between him and some companions 
it had made, and generally left him in the morning 
to join them, especially if the weather was inviting, 



175 

and was sure to return before sunset, and if the win- 
dow was closed it would dab its bill on the wicker- 
work to inform him of its arrival home. Sometimes 
he would keep it prisoner after the visitors came for 
it, when it would show agitation and restlessness, and 
keep answering their calls, in order to let them know 
where it was. It returned one evening with its fea- 
thers much ruffled, and part of its body a good deal 
torn and bloody, which he supposed had been from 
fighting. It did not venture out again for a long 
time, although it received the usual invitations from 
its companions and the window left open for its egress. 
At last it showed a desire to get out, and the old 
man, from curiosity, watched its movements. — 
There was only one of its tribe awaiting it in this 
instance, which it seemed to be aware of from 
the call; and it appeared determined to have re- 
venge for its former treatment, for it no sooner ap- 
proached the other than the feathers stood bristling 
up over its whole body, uttering a peculiar sort of cry, 
that might be considered as the war-whoop. The 
visitor also prepared for action, and the two had 
a very tough battle, which ended in the stranger 
being beat ; but both w x ere so exhausted, that 
they could hardly stand, and the old man carried the 
combatants into his house. Next day, the stranger 
having completely recovered, took the first oppor- 
tunity it could to get off, but shortly returned 
with a great many more of its tribe, and the poor 
fellow inside the house, fearful it might be handed 



176 

over to their mercy, crept into a corner, and trembled 
all the time they were chattering for it. They 
came every day for a long time, anxious to get it 
out, but nothing could induce it to join them again, 
and it continued now to spend its life in-doors, never 
venturing beyond the porch. The old man seemed 
quite in his element while expatiating on the disposi- 
tions of his family, and nothing tended more to raise 
one in his good opinion than taking an interest in his 
stories about them. 

He was an excellent mechanic, and all the furniture 
in the house was made, and the fittings up executed, 
by himself, and they were very neat. His little library 
consisted chiefly of historical and religious works, 
with the contents of which he seemed well acquainted. 
His conversation often turned on these subjects ; 
and he used sometimes to read a portion of the 
volumes, and explain very pleasantly to me, any part 
that I did not seem exactly to comprehend. Josephus 
was his favorite author. 

Except some portions of his naval life, I never 
heard him touch on anything regarding himself. He 
had stood the brunt of many a battle, and faced 
many a storm, but had got tired of a sailor's life long 
before he quitted it, and used to talk with severity 
on their general regardlessness. u Thank God," he 
would say, " I now lead a life of peace and quiet- 
ness." He used to put many questions to me re- 
lative to the general conduct of the men in our Regt., 
and point out the evils that arose from irregular con- 



▼•■ 



177 

duct, especially from the use of intoxicating liquors, 
and told me, that all the time he served, he never 
was, even in a single instance, the worse of liquor ; 
which conduct, in his humble rank, was the means of 
his being entrusted with matters which otherwise 
would not have been allotted to him. " Drinking and 
swearing," he used to say, " seemed to be considered 
a part of a sailor's education, so generally were they 
practised." 

The neighbours, with whom he never associated, 
used to propagate strange stories about him. Ac- 
cording to some he had committed murder, and re- 
morse had driven him to live in solitude : others 
maintained that he had a hatred to women — I sup- 
pose from the circumstance of none ever living with 
him. A great deal of speculation also existed as to 
his means of supporting himself; — some conjecturing 
that he was wealthy and a great miser, — others that 
pride and poverty was the occasion of his singular 
conduct. 

Regarding all the reports concerning him I could 
say nothing, but that he seemed a singular being — 
living in a most solitary manner, and seeming to shun 
society; yet, at the same time, I found him a pleasant 
companion, and some of my happiest hours at Goa 
were spent in his society. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



178 



LETTER XL, 



My Dear Friend, 

While I was serving in the Edinburgh Militia 
there was one of our Lieutenants who was a rather 
singular character. He was an excessive gourmand, 
and worshipper of Bacchus ; but was, withal, a good 
deal of a humourist. One of his greatest faults, and 
that which ultimately caused his ruin, was a want of 
attention to the choice of his companions, he being 
at all times "hail fellow well met" with all and sundry. 
While I was with the Regt. he kept within decent 
bounds ; but I afterwards understood that he became 
so reckless in his conduct that he was obliged to leave 
the service. 

His parents used every endeavour to restrain and 
reform him, but without effect; and at last they placed 
him in the family of a clergyman in a retired part of 
the Highlands of Scotland, where, as there was no 
society within his reach that would lead him astray? 
he was from necessity obliged to keep quiet. He 
remained in that situation until his death, which took 
place a few years after his retirement. 

There are two or three anecdotes illustrative of 
his gastronomic powers, which I shall here relate. 



179 

From what I have above mentioned of his charac- 
ter, you may very readily suppose that he was a 
great frequenter of tavern parties ; and, as a natural 
consequence, his funds were too often finished be- 
fore the period for another supply arrived, when he 
was sometimes under the necessity of applying to 
his comrades for loans; but not being so punctual in 
making his payments as he should have been, they 
at last became indifferent of rendering him assistance 
in that way. His inventive faculties were often called 
into use to discover a method that would supply 
him with means to carry on the manner of living to 
which he had so long been accustomed. 

The course he adopted on one occasion, when 
his finances were at their very lowest ebb, was of a 
truly ridiculous nature. He joined a party, who went 
to spend the evening at a tavern, and he was some 
time in the house before he recollected that he had 
not a single sous in his purse to enable him to dis- 
charge his share of the reckoning ; and as his credit 
was then in very bad odour with his companions, he 
felt loth to apply to them, especially as there were 
some strangers present. He set about cudgelling 
his brains for a plan either of avoiding or meeting 
the difficulty, but without being able to see his way 
through it. At last an opening appeared, and he 
was not long of availing himself of it. One of the 
strangers in conversation happened to mention some 
circumstances of a person who possessed powers of 
swallowing immense quantities of food, and which 



180 

he considered as almost incredible. Our gourmand 
at this part of the conversation, struck in, saying, 
that he did not consider what had been mentioned, 
as anything extraordinary, as he himself could excel 
it. The other scouted the idea of his being able to 
outdo this person mentioned by him, and offering a 
bet on the subject. This was just the point he 
wished to arrive at, and a wager was immediately 
entered into between them, r that he (the Lieutenant) 
would discuss a square yard of tripe ; which hav- 
ing been procured he commenced operations, and 
in a short time, and apparently with little difficulty, 
the quantity of tripe disappeared, to the astonishment 
of the whole company. By this means he got out 
of his present dilemma, and was not only enabled 
to discharge his reckoning, but was also furnished 
with a supply for future exigencies. 

On another occasion, being at a party, where a 
number of strangers were assembled a conversation 
took place as to what might be considered nauseous 
food. One of the gentlemen remarked, that he 
could not conceive anything more disagreeable to 
the taste than oysters mixedwith sugar. " Unpleas- 
ant as you may conceive them to be," says the 
Lieutenant, " I will bet you any money that I will 
eat an hundred oysters mixed up as you have men- 
tioned." The other instantly accepted the offered 
wager ; and the materials having been provided, the 
feat was accomplished to the great surprise of all, 
3,nd the disgust of many present. 



181 

The redoubtable Lieutenant on one of the nights 
of his revelry, upon his return home to his lodgings. 
" o'er a' the ills o' life victorious/' discovered that 
his worthy landlady had been busily employed during 
his absence in making her annual supply of jams and 
jellies. The jars containing the same were arranged 
upon the table, which presented a temptation too 
great to be withstood, and after getting properly 
seated, he fell foul of the dainties, and made sad 
havoc among them, emptying several of the jars ; — 
he then retired to bed; but his extra dose, not having 
amalgamated pleasantly with the other ingredients 
with which it became associated, caused him to spend 
a very restless night; and his repeated groans 
awakening the lady, she repaired to his room to as- 
certain the cause of his distress; when, " Oh horrible! 
most horrible !" she beheld the sweet Lieutenant, 
stretched on his back, " all clotted with gore." 
" Murder ! murder !" she cried, and bouncing out, 
called in the watch, informing them that her lodger 
had cut his throat. The alarm soon spread among 
the neighbours, and in a few minutes the house was 
filled. An examination w T as about being made, when 
the supposed suicide awakening, sprang up as much 
astonished as his visitors. A scream of horror arose, 
of w T hich he demanded the meaning, but received no 
answer; some of them, however, ventured closer to 
the body to examine the wound, and it w T as then 
discovered that the alarm had no real foundation. — 
The Lieut., in his dispensation of the above men- 

Q 



182 

tioned sweets, from the unsteadiness of his hand, had, 
not only, taken them internally, but had also bestowed 
a very liberal portion upon his outer man, thus giving 
him all the appearance of a person covered with 
blood. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XLI. 

My Dear Friend, 

While at Goa, it was a common practice with 
us to give balls, which were generally named after 
the particular counties to which we belonged, and 
the expenses connected with them defrayed accord- 
ingly. The Ross-shire men would give one in honor 
of their county; the Sutherland men of theirs; and 
if any counties claimed but few men belonging to 
them, two or three of such would unite together to 
make up sufficient strength to bear the expenses; 
and a good deal of rivalry was kept up as to which 
party excelled in their arrangements and in the ele- 
gance of the entertainments. The officers were always 
willing to encourage these parties, and their ladies 
attending with them, also seemed to enjoy themselves 
very much. It was a pleasing sight to see so many 
assembled together in such harmless amusements, 
keeping up the customs and the remembrance of 



183 

their native land. On such occasions the use of 
the band was always allowed, which added much to 
the effect. 

When such a commemoration-day arrived, all was 
life and bustle. Some bringing the choicest shrubs 
and flowers they could get, to decorate the apart- 
ments; — others scrubbing and sweeping; — one placing 
seats ; — another candlesticks, and so on ; all in the 
happy anticipation of spending an evening in inno- 
cent mirth. The children would skip about clapping 
their hands impatient for the hour of assembling, 
and the incantation of the poet could be read in 
everv countenance. 

ft On with the dance! let joy be unconfined; 

No sleep till morn, when youth and pleasure meet, 

To chace the glowing hours with flying feet." 

When the time arrived, the men, whose entertain- 
ment it happened to be, were waiting to receive their 
guests, find seats for them, and attend to their com- 
forts ; not, as you may suppose, with the elegance of 
a Chesterfield, but I doubt not, w T ith as much sin- 
cerity. 

The balls were generally opened with a good Scotch 
reel to a merry Scotch tune, and there was no small 
degree of emulation amongst the men as to their 
powers in the Terpsichorian art, and rival sets were 
formed to bear away the laurels. The genuine Scotch 
reel was rattled off in fine style, and the palm of vic- 
tory awarded by competent umpires appointed for the 



184 

purpose. Various hornpipes were also danced by 
volunteers, such as they had been taught in their 
boyish days, and they gave good evidence of not hav- 
ing forgot them. The Irish jig was not neglected, 
and the sons of the Emerald Isle proved, without a 
doubt, that they also had studied the heeling art. 

There was one lady, the wife of an officer of the 
86th, who attended one of these balls, whose 
elegant dancing acted like magic upon us. All had 
admired the grace of her movements, during the 
early part of the evening, in various dances with 
different officers, but it was not till she took a part 
in a minuet, with three others, that she so much as- 
tonished us. Her graceful movements and handsome 
figure, gave her more the appearance of a sylph than 
an inhabitant of this earth. Every eye was rivetted, 
and every voice hushed, enchanted by one 

" Whose fairy form was ne'er to be forgot." 

After the officers and their ladies retired, an old 
Scotch dance called " Bab on the bowster" was 
introduced, and which universally wound up the 
evening's entertainment, causing a good deal of 
laughter. 

Another kind of amusement that was resorted to, 
was the acting of plays, and which occasionally wiled 
away an evening very pleasantly. Nationality was 
shown in this also, as any play relative to Scotland, 
such as " Douglas," " the Gentle Shepherd," &c, 
was sure to have a good audience, and some of the 



185 

characters were really well sustained; while others 
that were intended to "melt and fire the heart by 
turns" were sometimes, from blundering or awkward- 
ness, on the part of the performer, turned into 
ridicule; and what the author intended for deep 
tragedy, was often dished up to us in a very different 
style. Some of our performers, ere they had com- 
menced " to strutt and fret their little hour upon the 
staofe " would have done well to have studied Ham- 
let's address to the players ; for I have seen them not 
only tear a passion into rags, but their own clothes 
into the bargain ; but possibly most of them had 
never heard of it. 

Between the play and farce, as is customary, a 
comic song, ballet dance, or something else, in the 
shape of interlude, was given to make up a variety 
in the amusements of the evening. And it would 
occasionally happen that the name of some one who 
excelled either as a singer or a dancer, was so fre- 
quently called out, that he would be under the ne^ 
cessity of stepping forward, although his perform- 
ance did not form part of the bill of fare for the 
evening. Demands were also made on the musicians 
for national airs, which were generally complied 
with. 

Among the various pieces performed by our ama- 
teurs, there was a Turkish one, in which some 
men of colour were requisite ; but the poor fellows 
who had these parts assigned them, found after- 
wards that they had entered rather too deeply into 



186 

their characters, some wag having mixed up a strong 
vegetable dye in the composition with which they 
had to besmear their faces and hands; and it was 
only when they wished to return to their own fair 
semblance, that they discovered the trick. Every 
thing was tried to wash off the colour, but nothing 
would do, so they at last gave it up as hopeless and 
trusted to time, which alone made good their former 
complexions. A reward was offered to any one 
who would make known the individual that had been 
guilty of. the act ; but he was never discovered : if he 
had, the men intended, that, as one part of the 
punishment, he should have been blackened with 
the dye from head to foot. Upon the Moors, 
as they were called, falling into the ranks, it was 
impossible for either officers or men to keep their 
gravity, their appearance was so very ridiculous, how- 
ever much we felt for them. Some of them took 
it much to heart; but one Irish lad used to enjoy 
the laugh along with the rest of us, and wonder what 
his old dad would say, were he to witness the effect 
of the climate on his boy. 

It was customary on the King's birth day, for 
each man to receive one Rupee, to drink his Majes- 
ty's health and provide a dinner, which was nicely 
prepared, and besides the usual substantial dishes, 
consisted of many of the luxuries the country pro- 
duced. After the dinner was placed on the table, and 
previous to our seating ourselves, we were visited by 
the commanding officer, accompanied by a few of the 



187 

others, who went round and inspected the different 
messes, to ascertain if every thing was comfortably 
arranged. Upon his approach, each mess presented 
him with a glass of wine, which, having tasted, he 
addressed the men, expressing his gratification at 
seeing every thing right, and desired them to conduct 
themselves with propriety, and thereby show the 
greater respect for their worthy Sovereign, whose 
natal day they were assembled to commemorate, and 
wishing them every enjoyment, retired. 

The game of cricket was another amusement with 
us, and as several of the officers were very fond of it, 
they used to turn out and make up matches, which 
were often keenly contested. One officer in parti- 
cular was an excellent hand; his bowling was tre- 
mendous, and at the wicket it was next to an 
impossibility to put him down. This game should 
be encouraged in the army, especially in warm cli- 
mates, where there is such inducement to inactivity, 
and prevent that system of lolling and sleeping which 
the men fall into, and which there can be no doubt 
nourishes that baneful disorder of the liver to which 
Europeans are so subject in our Eastern possessions. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



183 



LETTER XLII. 



My Dear Friend, 

One of our Serjeants, who acted as Regimental 
schoolmaster, was a man whose amiable and good 
qualities deserve to be recorded, but I fear my hum- 
ble powers will but poorly perform the task ; still, a 
grateful remembrance of the many fatherly admoni- 
tions I received from him, prompts me to make the 
attempt. 

He was highly respected by all who knew him, and 
well he deserved to be so. Independent of the du- 
ties which his situation demanded of him, he volun- 
tarily undertook others ; and many, who have passed 
to that " bourne whence no traveller returns," 
have blessed the day they knew him. He was par- 
ticularly kind to the sick, and attended alike to their 
bodily and spiritual comfort. He had such a calm 
and feeling manner about him, that he was sure to 
win his way to the heart of any man, but especially 
of one languishing on a sickbed. 

A comrade of mine who was confined in the hos- 
pital with a fever, and who, poor fellow lived, as loo 
many of us did, regardless alike of God and man, told 
me one day when I had gone to see him, that he 
was conscious he would never recover. He talked to 



189 

me of the unhappy state of his mind. All his past 
conduct, he said, rushed upon him and he felt now, 
what his parents had often told him, that a day of 
repentance would arrive — and then, and not till then, 
would their admonitions be respected; I tried to 
soothe him ; but what could I, who had lived nearly 
as regardless of holy things as himself, say, that 
would tend to soften his anguish and produce a bet- 
ter state of mind within him. 

After listening to him for some time, as the only 
means I could think of for his relief, I ventured to 
propose to him that I would ask serjeant M ; Intyre to 
accompany me on my visit to him next day. He 
hesitated; but I continued to urge him to permit me 
to do so, and having procured his consent, I waited 
on the w r orthy serjeant and told him the nature of my 
errand, enquiring at the same time, what hour would 
be the most convenient. He drew out his watch — 
looked at it, and continuing in deep thought for a 
minute or two, replied, that as he seemed to be so 
unhappy, he thought it would be better to go imme- 
diately and see him. We crossed over to the hospital, 
and I went up to the bedside and told the sick man 
that we were come now in place of to-morrow. He 
looked to the kind-hearted man, and holding out his 
hand to him, shed a flood of tears. " Your friend 
tells me," said the serjeant, " that you are unhappy— 
what is the cause of your unhappiness ?" " My past 
life," he replied. " And who," said the serjeant, 



190 

" can look upon his past life, and feel otherwise than 
unhappy." 

He conversed with the sick man on the kindest 
manner, and then proposed to him that we should 
address ourselves to that Being, who showers down 
his mercy even on the wicked ; he then offered up a 
fervent prayer in behalf of the dying man, imploring 
forgiveness and protection for him ; after which he 
read some portions of scripture, and folding in the 
leaves of several places which he wished him to 
examine, left him, promising to return the next day ; 
but desiring the sick man to send for him at any 
time either by night or by day, if he could serve him. 

On our way back, the serjeant took the opportu- 
nity of imparting to me a great deal of good advice, 
and pointing out the state of my comrade as a beacon 
to warn me of my danger. I felt every word that he 
addressed to me to be true, and proposed immediate 
amendment; but the impression was evanescent, 
although at the time I thought it would have proved 
a lesson for the remainder of my life. 

The young man lingered on for ten days, and the 
serjeant continued to attend him, doing all he could 
to comfort him and to prepare him for that change, 
which so shortly awaited him. I sat up with him 
occasionally, and he talked much to me of M'ln- 
tyre's attention, which he said had reconciled him 
to his fate, and that he now looked forward with plea- 
sure to the hour of dissolution. Many others, be- 



191 

sides this young man met with a kind adviser in 
M'Intyre, whose time was much occupied in such 
acts. 

There being no church we could attend in that 
country, M'Intyre invited all those w r ho chose to 
meet with him on the Sabbath evenings for the pur- 
pose of reading and explaining the Scriptures, of 
which he had an extensive knowledge. To those 
that did attend, and I am sorry to say they were but 
few, he took every pains to impress on their minds 
the great importance of becoming acquainted with 
the word of truth, and after delivering a very impres- 
sive address, closed the meeting with prayer. 

M'Intyre stood very high in the opinion of the of- 
ficers, and when any of the sick men expressed a 
wish for any little luxury which they thought they 
could take, the request had only to be backed by 
M'Intyre (and this he never refused to do) in order 
to be granted. 

The fate of this good man was a melancholy one; 
he embarked along with the second division of invalids 
on board the Cloyne for Britain. The vessel was 
never heard of after leaving the Cape of Good Hope, 
so that there can be no doubt that all perished. — 
There were not less than three hundred souls on 
board — M^Intyre's wife, a most amiable woman, and 
their two little boys were amongst the number. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



192 



LETTER XLIII. 



My Dear Friend, 

A party of us, consisting of five privates and 
Donald M'Leod one of the pipers, procured leave of 
absence from our commanding officer to go to Agoade 
to take leave of some acquaintances we had in the 
86th previous to their departure on an expedition to 
the Isle of France ; and for this purpose we engaged 
a double canoe. We arrived safe at our friends' 
quarters, where we were very kindly received and 
spent a pleasant day amongst them. As the evening 
approached we began to make preparations for our 
return, and a little before dark we took leave of our 
acquaintances, and again took to the canoe. We had 
got about half way from the main land, towards the 
Island of Goa, when a squall overtook us, which we 
tried to bear up against, and had it not been for the 
conduct of one of the natives who was working the 
canoe we would have reached ; — but the fellow had 
taken too much arrack, and through his carelessness, 
in loosing his paddle, we were left to drift at the 
mercy of the winds and waves, and ran a great risk 
of being all lost. It was so dark by this time, that 
any attempt to recover the paddle was useless ; so 
with the remaining one we kept working as we best 



193 

fcould to make the Island, which we accomplished 
near midnight, much exhausted, as the canoe kept 
shipping water all the time, and every one had to 
exert himself in bailing, otherwise we should have 
perished. Not having any proper utensil with us 
for the purpose of bailing, we were under the neces- 
sity of putting our hats and shoes into requisition, 
which proved to be very poor substitutes. 

At one period the water was gaining on us so 
rapidly, that it seemed impossible our frail bark 
could continue long afloat, and one of the party see- 
ing the danger of our situation, began to resign him- 
self to his sad fate. He knelt down to pray ; but 
M'Leod, who was rather a strange sort of a fellow, 
told him, that if he did not keep bailing along with 
the rest, he would pitch him overboard, asking him if 
he could not both bail and say his prayers at the 
same time. The poor fellow immediately got up, and 
again set to work, acting upon the suggestion of the 
piper, whose determined perseverance and example 
helped much to carry us through. 

We effected a landing at Panjum, about six miles 
from our quarters, and after dragging the canoe safe 
on to the beach, set off in quest of lodgings for the 
night, as we felt so fatigued that we could not pro- 
ceed further until we got refreshed. The only place 
that would receive us, was one of the lowest arrack- 
shops in the outskirts of the town, where we got 
some supper, along with a supply of arrack; after 



194 

which some matts were laid on the floor for us to 
sleep upon. 

In a short time we lay down to procure some rest, 
with the intention of starting very early next morn- 
ing for Cabo; but our repose was soon interrupted 
by the annoyance of mosquitoes, along with the 
croaking of frogs that inhabited a large tank of 
stagnant water in the neighbourhood of the house, 
which put sleep out of the question ; and we were 
discussing the propriety of an immediate start for 
our barracks, when M'Leod, unknown to any of us, 
adjusted his pipes, and commenced one of his favorite 
tunes. It was of no use to attempt to stop him, 
he being as stubborn as a rock, and his noisy instru- 
ment had aroused every soul in the house, most 
of them in a dreadful state of alarm at being awoke 
at such an unusual hour, and with such a hideous 
noise as the pipes produced. Many of them rushed 
out of the house in a state of nudity, and ran into 
the street, screaming. Donald, in the meantime, 
playing away with all his might, 

The landlord, a Portuguese, having procured a 
light, made, along with a party of men, an attack on 
our apartment ; but we beat them off, and shutting 
the door, two of us sat down behind it, to keep 
them from making a second entrance. Several in- 
effectual attempts were made to force open the 
door, but at last a tremendous shove brought it 
completely off its hinges, and in came our assail- 



195 

ants by the dozen. A general engagement took 
place, during which Donald still kept blowing his 
pipes to encourage us, till at last the lights were 
put out in the scuffle, and we were captured one by 
one and dragged out of the house, which put a stop 
to the sweet sounds of the pipes. 

The whole party were marched off to the guard- 
house, and kept locked up till morning, when we 
were carried before the Viceroy, who, after pointing 
out the impropriety of our conduct, told us that he 
, would report it to our Colonel. At first he seemed 
very much enraged at us ; and in his broken English 
declared that we were a disgrace to the army, After 
his first burst of passion was over, Donald applied to 
him to have the pipes returned, saying they were the 
King's property, and he could not return to Cabo 
without them. They were given up to Donald, who 
no sooner got hold of them, than he began to argue 
in favor of the elegance of their music, and offered to 
give his honor a specimen ; which the gentleman de- 
clined. Donald still persisted, and told him that it 
was out of compliment to him that he made the 
offer. The Viceroy smiled; which Donald interpreting 
into a grant of his request, struck up, and having 
given him a fair proof of his powers, and of that of 
his instrument, asked him, if it was not an " infernal 
shame for a man to be pelted and imprisoned for 
playing such beautiful music." The Viceroy took a 
hearty laugh at Donald's earnest remark, and told 
him that the untimely hour and unearthly sounds of 



196 

his music were the cause of his misfortune. Donald 
held out his hand, which the Viceroy accepted; 
" G — d bless you for that," said Donald, " there is 
no such other music in this wide world, and your 
honor will find, when you get to heaven, that this is 
quite correct." The Viceroy was convulsed with 
laughter. 

Having got fairly out of the scrape we returned to 
Cabo, somewhat sceptical of Donald's opinion as 
to the sounds of his instrument, seeing what evil it 
had brought upon us. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER XLIV. 

My Dear Friend, 

While in the warm latitudes on our homeward 
voyage, the ship was frequently visited by sharks, 
some of which we caught; and one in particular, 
was allowed to be the largest fish of the kind 
any on board had seen. It measured nine feet 
long, and four in girth round the thickest part of its 
body ; and adhering to it, were several small sucker- 
fish. It was by far the most formidable looking fish 
I had ever beheld, and its presence on the deck of 
the vessel created quite a commotion with all on 



197 

board. The sailors call them sea-lawyers, and were 
delighted at hooking and bringing him up with the 
merry yeo heave o', while the landsmen showed their 
astonishment at his portliness. On bringing him up 
alongside, he kicked up a fine row and slapped his 
tail most furiously on the ship's side, and on the 
deck, making them both ring. Their strength is tre- 
mendous, even out of the w T ater, and many seemed 
alarmed at the appearance of this one. I had always 
understood that when a shark swallowed anything, 
that it had first to turn upon its back, and that expert 
swimmers, with any sharp weapon in their possession, 
could, by taking advantage of these movements, from 
that circumstance, so annoy the sharks as ultimately 
to enable them to escape. I would pity any one w 7 ho 
had occasion to make attempts of that kind. I 
observed this one in particular, and found that it 
merely inclined a little to one side, and neither the 
time nor extent of its movements could give any such 
advantage as I had been led to believe. 

After it was killed, which occupied some little 
time, one of the sailors, who was fond of a joke, pre- 
vented it from being cut up till he would get some 
preliminary matters arranged, and an opportunity of 
carrying his whim into effect. He procured a pair 
of trowsers which one of our men had lost some days 
previous, and giving them a good soaking, crammed 
them into the shark; which being done, another 
suggested a further delay in the dissection, and a 
letter was written, addressed to one of the men, pur- 



198 

porting to be from his brother in Ireland, dated 
some months back ; a third brought a tobacco pouch 
which he had stolen some time before, and all were 
carefully deposited. Information was then given that 
the mighty monster was to be opened — good care 
being taken that the owners of the various deposits 
were present. 

While the operation was going on, one remarked 
that he had never heard what sharks exactly lived 
upon; another tried to solve that difficulty; a third 
stated the variety of things he had, at different 
times, seen taken out of them ; and their wonder was 
getting wound up to the highest pitch, when the fel- 
low who took the most active part in opening up the 
fish, got to the trowsers, pulled them out, and held 
them up, to the astonishment of the greenhorns. The 
man who had lost the trowsers sprang forward and 
claimed them as being his ; and after he had fairly 
proved his property, by giving almost day and date 
for every patch and mending they had received, they 
were with apparent reluctance handed over to him. 
His astonishment was great indeed, and he swore he 
would never part with them, and that when he got 
home he would have the circumstance taken notice 
of in the newspapers. After a little while the tobacco 
pouch was produced, and a second consternation 
pervaded them. It was claimed also, and given up ; 
when again out came the letter, which being a little 
soiled and wet and stained with blood, was cleaned 
and found to be addressed to "■ -, private 



199 

in the 47th, now lying in the East Indies." The man 
seemed perfectly astonished when he heard his name 
read from the back of the letter, and it was handed 
over to him; but being unable to decipher it himself, 
he requested that some one would be so kind as to 
do it for him. Great care was taken to avoid tearing 
it, and being carefully dried, he was informed of its 
contents, which were all connected with family mat- 
ters. What with joy and wonder he seemed almost 
frantic ; but his sorrow for those on board the ship, 
which must have gone to the bottom, acted as a 
damper upon him. The various conjectures started 
were amusing enough, and some seemed, and others 
were bewildered. One offered him a sum of money 
for the letter, another exceeded in amount what 
was first offered ; but no, — he would never part 
with it. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XLV. 

My Dear Friend, 

I shall now give you some idea of an army on 
the march in India, with the various attendants who 
form, in numbers, considerably more than the fighting 



200 

men. The baggage, munitions, &c, are borne by 
elephants and buffalos, which are attended by native 
drivers. Besides these, there are three classes of 
natives who accompany the army. The first class 
are called dobbies who are employed as washermen 
to the soldiers, the second are the cooks, and the 
third the water carriers. To a mess of twelve men, 
whether on the march or in quarters, there is one 
dobbie and one cook allowed, and to every company 
a waterman ; these, with their families, officers' ser- 
vants, drivers, and tent pitchers, form a singular 
group. The washermen also dress the men's clothes. 
They have a great dislike to articles of European 
manufacture, and when washing, you will hear them 
singing and swearing away at the stuff, and slash- 
ing it most unmercifullv on the natched board, which 
is used for the purpose. They dip the articles 
to be cleaned into water, and then making them 
swing round, come slap upon this rough board; 
which system, even with gentle usage, would soon 
destroy them, but when extra roughness is resorted 
to, a very few w T ashings finish them. It is provoking 
to hear these natives calling out, at every sw r eep they 

give, " there you go you d d European, now for 

you — soon do for you," — and keeping on in such a 
strain until they have nearly pelted the clothes to 
rags. But when they take hold of anything of native 
manufacture they tell it that it shall be kindly used, 
and they give it the easiest washing that their rough 
system will admit of. These attendants get all the 



201 

victuals left at the mess, which is generally sufficient 
to feed both them and their families. 

The marches are in most cases made in the af- 
ternoon, when the heat of the day is over, and, if 
much expedition is required, during the night. The 
bivouacks are made in the open air, with no cov- 
ering but the blue vault of heaven, and the dew often 
affects the men's health very much. There are no 
marches so fatiguing as those in India, for the body 
loses its strength; and even the afternoons and nights 
are too oppressive for such exertion. 

These parties, when on their march, are often 
visited by jugglers, snake charmers, rope dancers, 
and even fortune tellers. The tricks which the jug- 
glers perform, are the same as those which some of 
their number have exhibited in Britain — playing 
with brass balls, swallowing a sword, and dancing on 
the tight rope. Their various movements with the 
brass balls are the result of years of constant prac- 
tice ; and I have been told, that when learning, they 
will sit from morning until evening under the shade 
of a tree practising; and they continue in this way 
till they consider themselves capable of appearing in 
public. 

These camp followers are generally Hindoos who 
have lost caste. Many of them are regardless charac- 
ters, and some of them the most expert thieves in 
existence. Their pilfering practices are mostly 
carried on during the night, by creeping into the offi- 
cers' tents and carrying away anything of value they 



202 

can lay their hands on. They crawl about in search 
of plunder with such tact and caution that it requires 
extreme watchfulness to detect them, and if they find 
they are discovered they are off like a shot. One of 
our officers, during a march, had his tent entered in 
the night several times, and various articles stolen, 
and not being able to ascertain anything regarding 
how or where they had been taken, determined to 
keep watch with some others, and if possible to catch 
the thief. In the evening they lay down as usual, as 
if for repose. All was silence till about midnight, 
when a slight rustling noise was heard around the 
tent, which continued, with short pauses, for some 
time. The thief, thinking all asleep, at last crawled 
into the tent, keeping flat on his stomach and feeling 
in every direction to get hold of some plunder, at 
length laid his hands upon the gentleman's clothes, 
which had been put off previous to lying down. He 
rolled them up in a bundle, and was slowly and quietly 
creeping to that part of the tent by which he had 
entered, when the officer made a spring and landed 
on the top of him. The alarm raised the rest in 
the tent, some of whom, though lying awake for the 
purpose of catching the fellow, had never heard his 
movements, he having kept so quiet. He was bound 
hands and feet and made fast for the night. When 
day-light arrived he turned out to be one of the men 
belonging to the elephant baggage train; and a search 
was made among the things he had charge of, when 
an immense number of stolen articles were recovered, 



203 

which were claimed by various persons. The thief 
received a good flogging as a punishment, and was 
turned off from the camp, with a promise, that 
should he appear again, the amount of his punish- 
ment should be doubled. 

While at Goa we were visited by parties of these 
jugglers and fortune tellers, who gave us speci- 
mens of their various acquirements. The snake 
charmers were the first to commence operations. — 
One of them took out a perforated cane and began 
playing, when the snakes, which had hitherto been 
lying a-sleep in baskets, crept out and seemed to be 
influenced by the sounds of the instrument, for after 
dancing and twining about in various forms, they ap- 
proached their masters and twisted themselves in 
different attitudes, first round their legs, and then 
their arms, and at last twined themselves round their 
bodies and necks, the music playing to them during 
the whole of the performance; but when it ceased they 
immediately uncoiled themselves, went to their bas- 
kets as before, and lay perfectly still. Whether it is 
their fondness for the music or the effect of repeated 
training, that causes them to act in the above man- 
ner, I cannot tell; but the general opinion among 
us was the former. 

Next came the jugglers, who went through their 
performance, which excited great astonishment in 
those who had never witnessed such feats of dexterity 
before. The fortune tellers also had their turn. — 
A party of them approached a few of us who were 



204 

resting below a tree, and offered to tell us our good 
fortune, or rather,' I believe, they said to ensure us 
of good luck for the rest of our lives ; and having 
got permission to proceed in favor of our party, they 
lighted a fire, into which they threw a perfumed 
powder, and afterwards placed upon it a pot of water. 
They then began dancing round the fire, sometimes 
stirring the water, and repeating an incantation in our 
favor, which was translated to us as they pro- 
ceeded. They kept at this for a long time, and 
then informed us of our various good fortunes, and 
asked for their reward. We all, with the exception 
of one, gave them some trifle of money; but he 
bestowed upon them a hearty cursing, abusing them 
as impostors, and threatening to beat them if they 
did not make off. They did not go away, but com- 
menced their operations anew, moving round the 
pot, in a contrary direction to what they had for- 
merly done, which, we were informed, was to undo 
all that had been done for the man who had given 
them abuse, instead of the recompense they ex- 
pected. This, the man was no sooner informed of, 
than he started over to them, and snatching up a 
burning stick out of their fire, made them scamper 
off as fast as their legs could carry them, taking their 
pot as a prize. We, however, gave them back their 
pot, at which time they told us that the man who had 
abused them, would fall in the next engagement he 
went into. Their prediction was not verified, as 
I am not aware that he was ever wounded. It was 



205 

curiosity and nothing else, that induced us to listen 
to them. Silly as all their prognostications were, 
some of our men were weak enough to believe in 
them. But I never heard of anything transpiring 
that could persuade me that these fortune tellers 
possessed the powers they professed. 
Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XLVI. 

My Dear Friend, 

It may not be here deemed amiss to relate a 
few of the many narrow and providential escapes 
from death, which you may well suppose to have oc- 
curred in the course of the struggle for the posses- 
sion of the Island of Java. 

Upon our first entering Batavia, the Rifle com- 
panies were quartered in a large house, situated at a 
short distance out of the city. We had that day 
received no allowance of liquor, and one of our men, 
of the name of Mathewson, went out a little before 
dark to look for a grog shop, in order to procure 
some. About an hour after dusk, he returned 
unsuccessful. As he was entering the building, he 
observed a man descending a trap with a slow match 
in his hand. Mathewson called out to him, and 



206 

asked him what he was going to do with the match. 
The fellow directly ascended, drew a knife, and at- 
tempted to stab the soldier ; but he as quickly drew 
his sword and swore that he would run him through 
if he either attempted to strike him or to make his 
escape. Mathewson then called for assistance, when 
a number of the men rushed out and the fellow was 
secured. Some of the officers having also made 
their appearance, a light was procured and a descent 
was made by the trap in order that a search 
might be instituted. Upon reaching the bottom, 
several barrels of gunpowder were discovered, which 
instantly explained the use to which the slow 
match was to have been put. The party reascended, 
and informed the commanding officer of the circum- 
stance, who instantly ordered the bugle to sound the 
alarm, when the soldiers, without delay, put on their 
accoutrements, took up their arms and proceeded to 
the street, where they were formed into companies, 
and marched to the main square of the city, and 
there lay upon their arms the whole night. Next 
morning the culprit was examined as to his reasons 
for attempting to blow up the house in which the 
soldiers were quartered, and who were his accom- 
plices ; but he would give no answer. He was then 
handed over to the Provost- Martial who made speedy 
work of it. 

Upon one occasion, while we were erecting our 
works opposite Cornelius, a party of fifty were or- 
dered to the batteries to assist at the works. Upon 



207 

returning, we had to pass along the open road ex- 
posed to the enemy's shot. We made what haste we 
could to get out of our dangerous situation ; but be- 
fore we had been enabled to do so, we observed a flash 
from one of the enemy's mortars ; when immediately 
the officer in command gave the order that we should 
throw ourselves flat upon the ground, which we did, 
and it was the work of a moment only. The shell 
past over us, bursting very near to where we were 
lying and the contents flew about like hail, without 
doing us any injury. We then immediately sprung to 
our feet and made the most of our way to the wood 
where our Regiment bivouacked. At the time the 
shell was discharged, a Sepoy was passing along the 
road, apparently unobservant of danger, until it burst 
quite close to him, and, I may almost say miracu* 
lously, without doing him any harm. Upon hearing 
the report of the shell, he very cooly turned round 
his head, and cried out, "what a start you have given 
me." 

The following day we were ordered to proceed 
again to the batteries, to complete the w r orks, when 
the enemy, watching the opportunity, while we had 
to pass the exposed part of the road, fired off several 
cannon at the same instant among our party, when 
three of them fell — one poor fellow mortally wound- 
ed, a ball having taken off both his legs, a little above 
the knees. We carried off the wounded men to a 
place of safety, and on examining them, found one had 
received a slight contusion in the head, from which 



208 

he soon recovered, another had all the toes of one 
foot carried away, and the foot a good deal injured 
otherwise. The young man who lost his legs, died 
in a very short time after we set him down, the loss 
of blood being so great. At first he did not seem to 
know that his legs were off, and only found out the 
state he was in when raised off the ground. One of 
his comrades who stood beside him, received a mes- 
sage to be conveyed to his mother, who resided in 
Edinburgh. He then looked up to the officer in com- 
mand, at the same time offering him his hand, which 
he took, and enquired '" if he was satisfied with the 
manner in which he had done his duty." " Yes," 
replied the officer, " and I regret the loss of so good 
a soldier." Holding the officer still by the hand, he 
looked round the party who stood beside him, and 
then turning his eyes towards heaven, asked forgive- 
ness for the many sins he had been guilty of — 
closed them — and expired. It was an affecting 
scene, and none seemed more impressed with it than 
our officer. 

This young man was a steady soldier, and had 
every prospect of getting forward had he lived, as he 
possessed all the qualifications requisite to enable 
him to discharge the various duties — a good educa- 
tion, sober habits, and strictly attentive to his duty. 

While engaged on the 10th, we were extended 
over a part of the field, to annoy as much as possible 
some of the enemy who were posted in advance like 
ourselves, to cover some Artillery they were planting, 



209 

and for a while the two sets of scattered combatants 
were employed picking out each other. The opposite 
party had a few men pretty near us, who were shel- 
tered by a small patch of trees, behind which, they 
loaded their pieces, and stept out to fire. Several 
of our men had fallen by their shots, when Doug- 
las, (the young man just alluded to,) being an excel- 
lent marksman, stood, with his piece ready, and 
declared he would bring down the first man that 
exposed himself to him. The expression was scarcely 
uttered till he had an opportunity of trying his skill, 
when off went his rifle, and the man, leaping up from 
the shock of his well aimed ball, fell. " Now," said 
he, " I could bet any money that I have sent that 
ball through his head; but we will see by and by, 
when we get on to the ground." He loaded again, 
keeping watch for a second chance, when another of 
the enemy stepped out from the opposite side of the 
thicket, and fell also. " See there," said Douglas, 
" that chap's got it through his breast." The bugle 
now sounded the advance, when the enemy's skir- 
mishers fell back, and we occupied their ground. — 
Curiosity prompted some of them to examime the 
dead bodies, and Douglas's balls were found as he had 
said. He was allowed to be one of the best shots in 
the Regiment, and this circumstance added not a 
little to his former reputation. The Captain of our 
company complimented him on his superior firing, 
and reported the circumstance to the Colonel, who 
promised to promote him. 



210 

Several years afterwards, I accidentally met with 
this young man's brother, who being informed that I 
was from the 78th, enquired of me if I had known 
him, and when informed that we belonged to the 
same company, he made me promise to call and 
see his mother, stating, how much she would be gra- 
tified at meeting with one who had shared in the toils 
and dangers of war along with her favorite son. I 
accordingly kept my promise, with the young man 
and he conducted me to his mother's residence, 
where I was very kindly received and requested to 
take tea with them. I remained several hours, and 
many questions were asked me regarding her dear 
Johnny, as she always called him. She seemed 
truly happy when I informed her of his good conduct, 
and the general respect with which we held him in 
the company, and related many circumstances which 
she listened to with much pleasure. Shortly before 
leaving, she enquired of me if Johnny had ever told 
any of us the reason he had for becoming a soldier. 
I replied, that although I had often heard others de- 
tailing such matters, yet I could not tax my memory 
with ever having heard him touch on that subject. 
In most instances, I observed, it turned out to be a 
drunken spree that inspired us to become heroes. — 
" Poor fellow," said she, " his was a very different 
case," and bursting into tears, told me, " that it was 
her and her misfortunes that caused him to follow 
the drum." After she had recovered herself, she 
related the circumstance to me, which could not but 



211 

increase my respect for his memory. She had been 
left a widow, with three sons to provide for, and had 
struggled on for several years to bring them up, dur- 
ing which time she had often a hard fight to support 
them. At last matters became worse, and she was 
about to be turned out of her house for want of money 
to pay her rent, and every thing belonging to her 
was seized by the landlord. Her son, on whom she 
had depended much, to enable her to weather the 
various storms she had buffetted, w r as unfortunately 
out of employment ; seeing no prospect of obtaining 
any, tired at going idle, and heart-broken at the 
distress she was in, without having the means of 
assisting her, he determined to save her from being 
turned out of her home, by offering himself as a sub- 
stitute for a person who had been drawn for the 
Perth Militia; and it was not till he had settled 
every thing, and received the bounty, all of which he 
brought to her, that she ever dreamed he had any 
intention of becoming a soldier. The poor woman 
was again overcome with her feelings, and for some 
time could hardly proceed with the remainder of the 
account she was giving me of her son. She at last 
briefly related the rest of her story. He had joined 
his Regiment, and after undergoing the necessary 
training with other recruits, took the first opportunity 
he could get of volunteering into the line, joined the 
78th, and departed for India, where, poor fellow, he 
soon found a grave. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



212 



LETTER XLVII. 



My Dear Friend, 

The circumstance which I have just narrated, 
calls to my recollection, an interview I had near 
Dalkeith, about the same time, with an old sweet- 
heart of one of our grenadiers. 

Having occasion to travel to that part of the coun- 
try, and feeling thirsty, I stept into a small thatched 
house, in the village through which I was passing, 
to obtain a drink of water, which was given me, ac- 
companied with an invitation to sit down and rest 
myself; and, as the heat of the day had fatigued me, 
I was very glad to accept of the offer. After con- 
versing for some time on various subjects, some in- 
terrogatories were put to me in the usual way, as to 
whither I was travelling, whence I had come, and so 
on. During our conversation I happened to inform 
the woman of the house, a strapping good-looking 
quean, that I was a pensioner from the 78th, which 
I had no sooner stated, than she seemed quite de- 
lighted, and asked me if I had been in India,-— I told 
her I had. " Did ye ken ane Jock Johnston in 
your Regiment," she eagerly enquired. I replied 
that in the grenadier company there was one of that 



213 

name. She then questioned me as to his appear- 
ance, and various other circumstances, when my an- 
swers proved to her satisfaction, that it was the same 
person. From her excitement, and being a good- 
looking person, like him, I was led to conclude 
that she was his sister, and therefore, enquired, in 
my turn, if he was any relation to her. " Na, na," 
said she, " he wasna a drap's bluid to me, — but had 
it no been for his auld hag o' a mither he wad hae 
been tho.' But," continued she, " I'se tell ye a' 
about it : — 

" I was fee'd by Jock's faether at Dalkeith, for 
sax months, an' gaed hame to my place at Whitsun- 
day, an' liket it week Jock, puir fallow, workit on 
the farm wi' his faether, an' was a sort o' a grieve to 
the auld man. I was na lang hame to my place, till 
he began to keek owre his shouther at me, the mean- 
in' o' whilk I kenn'd fou' brawly, but ne'er let on, 
seein' vera weel, that had ony o' the auld folks got 
an inklin' o' sic like, it wad breed mischeef. I 
keepit as muckle out o' his gait as I could, but he 
took ilka chance to get near me. It was nae use to 
tell him what his faether or mither wad say ; for he 
aye swore he wad hae me for his wife, an nae ither. 
An' then he wad roose me about my bonnie face 
an' jimpit waist, an' sic like, till I wad threaten 
to compleen to his mither — -no that I wad hae dune 
sic a thing, ye ken, but just to gliff him a wee. It 
was o' nae use, for gang where I wad, or whate'er I 
was about, Jock was shure to be no far aff. His mi~ 



214 

ther was a gleg body, an' sune fand out that he was 
ower head an' lugs in luve wi' me, an' was na lang in 
tellin' him her mind; when Jock took the pet, and ran 
awa to Edinburgh, an' gaed for a sodger. His faether 
offered to pay the smart siller, an' get him hame 
again; but Jock wadna come unless his mither wad gae 
her consent to our gettin' married, an' that was out 
o' the question wi' her. She had ower muckle pride 
for that, sae Jock was marched aff to some place in 
England, an' we heard nae mair o' him till he was 
takin' ship for India, when he wrote his faether, an 
me too. I had left the auld folk lang afore this, an' 
ne'er expekit to hear frae him again, tho' mony a sair 
heart his gaein' awa gied me. — He was a braw man, 
an* no ane through a' the kintry side could match 
him. In his letter to me, he said he wad ne'er for- 
get me, an' forbid me to marry ony ane till he cam 
hame. Poor fallow, he ne'er liv'd to come hame, 
an' it wasna till lang after I kenn'd o' his death that 
I thought o' takin' ony body. But ye see the guid- 
man, right or wrang, wad hae me, an' I just said to 
him aye night, after he had powthered my showther, 
that he might gie in the lines now. I hae gotten a 
guid man, an' a weel doin' man too, an' I hae nae 
faut to him, but I canna forget Jock for a' that, as I 
ken fou weel he wad ne'er hae forgotten me. — He 
was a braw man, an' I often think o' him." 

How long the woman would have kept up her 
praise of Jock, as she called him, it is hard to say, 
had not her husband come home, whom she informed 



215 

of the circumstance ; but merely taking notice of the 
fact, that I had served in the same Regiment with 
her former lover. I did not think the husband re- 
lished even the little information she gave, and more 
so, on observing that she did not attempt to speak 
out so freely before him, regarding her tender recol- 
lections of Jock. Possibly he had heard it all before, 
and it was unnecessary to repeat it. Still I could 
not help remarking in my mind on the change his 
presence made on her loquacious praise of Jock. — 
Had I thought proper, I could have given her some 
information regarding him, that would have gone far 
to prove, .that whatever injunctions he had laid on 
her, he had taken care to impose none upon himself; 
but thought it was much beter to leave her under 
the belief I found her ; — that " he was a braw man, 
an' no ane in a the kintry side could match him." — 
He was certainly a fine-looking man, tall, muscular 
and well proportioned ; but beyond that I must 
" No further seek his merits to disclose 
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode." 

Having had a comfortable rest, I bade them good 
bye, and proceeded on my journey, musing over the 
circumstances connected with this unexpected inter- 
view, which, with the accidental introduction, and 
the mistaken idea she laboured under on many points 
relative to the grenadier, served me with several 
subjects for reflection. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



216 



LETTER XLVIII. 



My Dear Friend, 

Let an old soldier go where he will, he is sure 
to meet with some with whom he had served, and I 
have been both amused and astonished at these un- 
expected rencounters with fellow campaigners, in 
places and under circumstances singular enough. 

On my return from India, and while residing for 
a few weeks in London, I was suddenly brought to a 
stand one afternoon, in the Borough, on meeting the 
funeral of some grandee, that was moving on in 
slow and solemn pomp, at recognising an old com- 
rade in one of the advanced guard, rigged out with 
cloak, scarf and band, and bearing a long black pole 
with something like a half inflated baloon attached 
to it. Disguised as he was I knew him at once, and 
was much puzzled to understand how he had ever 
been able to work his features into such a demure 
expression, for Ned was celebrated among us as one 
of the sons of Momus. But time, thought I, works 
mighty changes, and here it has metamophosed as 
merry a fellow as ever shouldered a musket. 

Not having any thing particular to attend to, I 
turned, and followed the funeral to the church yard, 
and when Ned's duties were over, went forward to 



217 

him, when he instantly recognised me, and giving me 
a friendly shake of his hand, expressed his astonish- 
ment that I should have known him in his canonicals. 
These Ned soon doffed, and invited me to adjourn 
to take a glass, and talk over our adventures, which 
invitation I accepted. 

Ned told me he had been buffetted about for seve- 
ral years after leaving the army, and suffered many 
privations, but had at last got the situation he now 
held, which was porter in an extensive undertaker's 
establishment, in the City ; and that in addition to 
his other duties, his master employed him occasion- 
ally, with others in his employment, 

i( By letting out their persons by the hour, 
To mimic sorrow when the heart's not sad." 

I told him how much I was amused at meeting 
him in the character of a mute, and paid him several 
compliments as to the manner in which he acquitted 
himself, being so very different in every respect from 
what I had been accustomed to see him ; at which 
he took a hearty laugh, and then set about making 
enquiries after many of his old comrades, whose 
various fates I related to him, as far as I knew\ — 
Before parting, I promised to meet him the following 
evening, when Ned took me to his house, and I 
was gratified to see that he was so comfortable, and 
told him that as he seemed so cheerful and happv 
in his little establishment, I thought he could afford 
occasionally to make the appearance of grief, such as 



218 

I had seen him doing on the previous day. Ned 
admitted that it was by grieving he was happy. 
. After my return to Edinburgh, when on my way 
home to my lodgings, near the head of Leith Walk, 
on a fine moonlight morning, somewhere about the 
"wee short hour ayont the twall," I observed a group 
of men forming a circle on a broad part of the pave- 
ment, and singing the King's Anthem. Curious to 
know what could occasion a body of men to be so 
employed, at such an unseasonable hour, I crossed 
over to reconnoitre, when they invited me to join 
them, which I had no sooner done, than I discovered 
that they had been 

« . bousing at the nappy, 



And getting fou and unco happy/' 

For most of them seemed half tipsy, some three 
quarters, and one, who was lying flat on his back, 
" quite royal." After remaining a while in this 
place, they lifted up the drunk man, some taking a 
leg, others an arm, one his head, and another a foot, 
and carried him a little further on his way home, and 
then laid him down again to rest themselves, singing 
away as before, at " God save the King." At the 
end of one of the stages, and after they had laid 
down their burden, being fearful that his handker- 
chief was too tight round his neck, I stooped down 
to examine it, and if requisite, to have it loosened; 
when, getting a distinct view of his features, I en- 
quired of his companions if his name was Gordon, 



219 

which they told me it was. I then informed them 
that we had served together in the East Indies, 
where I left him some years ago, and had never 
heard of his return. They stated to me that he 
had only arrived in Edinburgh the day before, 
having been discharged with a pension of nine- 
pence per day, and they had met to welcome him 
back again, — most of them being his companions 
previous to his enlisting. I could not but feel 
sorry to see him commencing such a career on his re- 
turn to his native place ; and after assisting them in 
carrying him to his lodgings, saw him laid on his bed, 
I proceeded to my home. 

The circumstance of his having so recently left 
the Regiment, induced me to visit him early on the 
following day, to obtain some intelligence concerning 
my old comrades. On entering the house, I found 
several of his pall bearers already with him, and the 
whisky circulating freely enough for such an early 
hour. 

My fellow soldier was still in bed, and as his visi- 
tors had been plying him again with liquor, he was 
nearly stupid. They urged him to get out of bed, 
and held out a promise to send for the musical boy 
that had pleased him so much on the previous even- 
ing, which, at last, had the effect of making him get 
up ; but it was needless for him to attempt to stand, 
as that was beyond his powers, so he was proped up 
in an old arm chair. Having fulfilled his part of the 
bargain, he demanded that they should keep to 



•220 

theirs, and the boy was sent for, in whom I expected 
to meet some musical prodigy ; but soon discovered 
that they had been amusing themselves at the ex- 
pense of the old soldier. The boy was placed at 
the extreme end of the room from that in which 
was seated our glorious son of Mars, and putting his 
fingers to his mouth, the music commenced, which 
was that of a sweetly toned flute, when the soldier 
seemed astonished. 

One of the party explained the matter to me.— 
After the party had got merry during the preceding 
evening, one of them was requested to play a tune 
upon his flute, and the soldier, who had got consid- 
erably in advance of the main body in his libations at 
the fountain of Bacchus, could not observe whence 
the music came, his eye not being steady enough to 
make a correct survey of the room. On gazing 
about to discover from what source the dulcet tones 
issued, he observed a boy at some distance from 
him, beating time on his chin, with his hand, when 
he at once pitched upon him as the musical magi- 
cian, to the great amusement of all present. See- 
ing how he had imposed on his own senses, they 
kept up the joke, and the flute player was secreted 
more carefully, while the boy was brought further into 
view. He no sooner asked for a favourite air than 
the boy commenced to rap away upon his chin, and 
when the music ceased, he, of course, sat still. His 
remarks on this new species of music, occasioned 
a considerable deal of amusement; and it was again 



221 

repeated to him the following morning in my pre- 
sence, and with most complete effect. 

I called upon him the day after, and found him 
recovered from his excesses, with the exception of a 
headache, and we soon fell into an interesting chat, 
when he gave me a great deal of information regard- 
ing my old acquaintances, many of whom, I found, 
had been borne down 

" That awful gulf no mortal e'er repass'd." 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER XLIX. 

My Dear Friend, 

Among the many sufferers from the effects of 
war, there is one class that, I have often thought, 
have a claim upon the bounty of their country, but 
who are generally found steeped in poverty and 
wretchedness — I mean the wives and children of 
soldiers. And it cannot but be regretted that some 
provision could not be made for them, and not leave 
them to eke out their existence from the hand of 
charity, which has too often to be resorted to, and 
ultimately destroys some of the noblest feelings of 
our nature. But I suppose the numbers that 
would be thrown on the bounty of the nation, is 



222 

the great barrier to such an arrangement never 
having been effected, still their state cannot but 
be a subject of deep regret ; and if it were possible 
to provide, even in a scanty way for them, it is un- 
doubtedly the duty of that country to do so, whose 
battles, their natural protectors, are fighting. It 
must be admitted that much has been done for their 
relief, by that true soldiers' friend, his late Royal 
Highness the Duke of York, particularly by the es- 
tablishment of the military school at Chelsea ; yet 
there is still much that could, and, in my humble 
opinion ought, to be done in their behalf. 

I have often had occasion to reflect on this cir- 
cumstance from the general state in which the women 
are found when the married men are compelled to 
leave their families behind them. One case, in par- 
ticular, I cannot refrain from noticing, and which 
may stand as an example of thousands that occur in 
time of war. 

Having promised to a poor fellow who died, in 
consequence of a wound he received at the taking of 
Java, that if ever I should return to Britain, I would 
make it my duty to see his wife and inform her of 
his fate ; I, shortly after my return to Scotland, ful*- 
filled my mission. She had lived in Edinburgh, but 
after much enquiry I ascertained that she had left 
that city and gone to Dalkeith. Taking the first 
opportunity I could, I went to see her, and found her 
residing about three miles from the town, with her 
sister, who was also a widow. She had three chil- 



223 

dren, two boys and a girl, and their appearance, with 
that of every thing around them, indicated their 
situation to be much better than I could possibly 
have anticipated. 

After having informed her who I was, and my 
reason for travelling so far to see her and her family, 
she expressed great thankfulness for the pains I had 
taken to fulfil my promise, and made many enquiries 
regarding her departed husband, till at last her 
feelings so overcame her, that I almost regretted 
having paid the visit. When she recovered herself, 
I remarked that it afforded me much pleasure to 
see her in such comfortable circumstances. She 
told me that she had undergone much suffering 
while residing in Edinburgh, and that she had often 
to go and beg for her children, till one day she hap- 
pened to meet a lady with whom her mother had 
been many years servant, who, after relieving her im- 
mediate wants, sent her and the children to the house 
where they now lived. Her eldest son was taken 
into the family as foot-boy, and though young, had 
given every satisfaction. The cottage and small 
piece of ground attached to it were allowed them rent 
free; and the factor on the estate, she told me, 
had desired them to apply to him at any time should 
they require assistance; but this they had not needed. 
The family, on whose estate they resided, as well as 
many others in the neighbourhood sent them work, 
by which means they were enabled to live, and keep 
the two younger children at school. 



224 

As evening approached I was preparing to return 
to Dalkeith, where I had intended to remain for 
the night, and so reach Edinburgh the next day; 
but they would not allow me to leave them, insisting 
that I should remain that night and the following 
day, which was the Sabbath. Finding it would gra- 
tify them I consented. After spending the evening 
in describing some of the countries of the East, and 
answering the various questions put to me, we retired 
to sleep. On the morning, I arose early and walked 
out into the fields, where all, except the voice of 
nature, was hushed — laborious man was at rest — and 
a peaceful quiet seemed to reign throughout the 
land. The dumb animals that assist him in his daily 
labours, were cropping the dasied mead, with a seem- 
ing consciousness of their day of rest having again 
arrived. 

" The blackbird's note comes mellower from the dale ; 
And sweeter from the sky the gladsome lark 
Warbles his heaven-tuned song ; the lulling brook 
Murmurs more gently down the deep worn glen." 

A pleasing stillness prevailed around, which imper- 
ceptibly stole upon my mind, and prepared me to meet 
the devotions of the day with becoming feelings. 
How different, thought I, is this from the land in 
which I have been sojourning for many years, and 
was instinctively compelled to raise my eyes towards 
heaven, and in secret bless the Great Giver of all 
good, for my safe return to the land of my nativity. 



225 

Having approached the cottage, I lifted the latch 
and entered, when I found them awaiting me, and 
was introduced to a respectable looking old man, the 
gardener on the adjoining estate. An open bible was 
lying on a small table near the window, and from the 
chairs that were place around it, I concluded that 
he had been reading to them a portion of the scrip- 
tures. Every thing appeared ready for the morning 
meal, but I observed the two sisters occasionally 
looking at each other, as if they had something to 
say, perceiving which, I arose, intending to retire, 
supposing my presence had interrupted them in their 
devotions ; but I had scarcely reached the door when 
the old man stepped up to me and said, " that they 
were in the habit of making family worship, and if I 
had no objections to join with them they would feel 
happy." I replied, " nothing would gratify me more 
than doing so." We got seated, when a psalm was 
given out and sung, after which a portion of scripture 
was read, when we knelt down to address ourselves 
to the Most High God. A feeling of solemnity at 
this moment pervaded me, to which I had been too 
long a stranger ; and my eye, resting on the two or- 
phans that knelt at my side, I was borne back to a 
remembrance of my tender years, when, under the 
roof of a venerable father, I used, morning and even- 
ing, to assemble with the family, around the house- 
hold altar. The recollection of these things — the 
innocent group by whom I was surrounded, and the 
affecting appeal of the good old man, in imploring 



226 

the protection of the Almighty in favour of this in- 
teresting family, all tended to encrease such a feeling. 
" God tempers the wind to the shorn lamb ; H 

and the inmates of this humble cottage testified the 
truth of the saying. After breakfast I accompanied 
them to the parish church, a few miles distant, and 
returned in the afternoon. It was one of the loveliest 
evenings I had ever beheld. The sun had just set be- 
hind the distant mountains, but his departing rays still 
tinged the few clouds that floated around their sum- 
mits. The shooting vegetation sent forth its sweet 
odours, while the music of the bubbling brook, and 
the song of the sweet tenants of the wood ever and 
anon broke pleasingly on the ear. A feeling of re- 
flection insensibly crept on me, and the beautiful 
lines of the poet of the Sabbath were recalled to my 
memory : — 

" O Scotland ! much I love thy tranquil dales ; 
But most on Sabbath eve, when low the sun 
Slants through the upland copse, 'tis my delight, 
Wandering, and stopping oft, to hear the song 
Of kindred praise arise from humble roofs." 

Early on the Monday morning I set out on my 
journey homeward, gratified at having fulfilled my 
promise to a departed friend, and in witnessing his 
bereaved family living happy and contented. 
Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



227 



LETTER L. 



My Dear Friend, 

When a Regiment embarks for a foreign sta- 
tion, only a limited number of the soldiers' wives 
are allowed to accompany their husbands beyond the 
place of embarkation, generally, in the proportion of 
ten women for every hundred men, and their fate is 
decided by drawing lots. When our draft was or- 
dered off to the East Indies, I witnessed this 
unpleasant scene, and the various heart-rending 
incidents connected with it, are as fresh in my me- 
mory, as if they had just occurred. The day before 
we were to embark, all the women attended at the 
stated time, to have their lot determined, and a more 
melancholy assemblage I never witnessed. Hardly a 
word was spoken, and the voices that we had so often 
heard in playful banter, seemed almost afraid of their 
own sounds, while the deep drawn sigh would escape 
from its prison-house, to announce that the heart 
within was sad. The number of women present so 
greatly exceeded the number which the regulations 
permitted to go on board, that the chance of drawing 
an embarkation lot, w T as equal to one out of six, of 
course there would be five sorrowful hearts for every 
glad one, and with such a prospect, it is not to be 



228 

wondered at, that they should form so melancholy a 
group. 

The slips of paper were folded up and put into 
the cap of the serjeant who was appointed to see 
them drawn. He remained standing with it in his 
hand for a minute or two before any of them had re- 
solution to draw ; at last one woman went forward, 
and putting her hand in, brought out a slip, and 
unfolded it, when, discovering her fate, she placed 
her hands upon her face, as if ashamed of her agita- 
tion, and retired to a corner of the room. One or 
two others having likewise drawn blanks, were 
quite overcome by their feelings; their husbands 
tried all they could to console them, but, poor fel- 
lows, in the very act of doing so, you could perceive 
that they were as much depressed as their disap- 
pointed wives. The next that stepped forward, pro- 
cured a ticket for embarkation, which she no sooner 
discovered, than half frantic with joy, she flew into 
her husband's arms, at the same time throwing hers 
about his neck, exclaimed, " Oh ! Peter, Peter," and 
burst into a flood of tears. The one who followed, 
was a young woman who had been married only six 
months previous, and as we all knew the fondness of 
the couple for each other, and their misery at the 
idea of a separation, every one who had no anxiety 
on his own account, felt desirous that her lot might 
be a lucky one. She had no sooner got hold of the 
slip of paper that contained her doom, than, as if 
aware of her fate, she became deadly pale, and her 



229 

whole frame shook, totally unable to unfold the 
paper ; her husband stepping forward, took it from 
her hand, and after having examined it, cast a sor- 
rowful look at her. It was enough — she gave a 
wild shriek, and fell senseless into his arms. I then 
went forward to their assistance, when we carried 
her into an adjoining apartment, and laid her on a 
bed ; some of her companions in misfortune at that 
time entering, I withdrew from the scene altogether, 
in a very gloomy state of mind. 

Next morning, being the last we were to remain 
on shore, was a very busy one, and all were actively 
occupied in preparing for embarkation. Reflecting 
on the events of the previous evening, I made some 
enquiries after the young wife, and was informed that 
she had spent a most miserable night. At times she 
seemed to have mustered resolution to bear her fate, 
but would again break out into fits of despair, and 
fears were entertained that she would ultimately lose 
her reason. Her husband remained with her, offer- 
ing every consolation he could think of, and promis- 
ing to lay past as much of his pay as he could, to 
enable him to send for her after his arrival in India ; 
but the poor fellow was as miserable as herself, 
knowing too well the utter hopelessness of such a 
project. When the time of departure had arrived, 
he was obliged to steal away without any attempt to 
bid her farewell, fearing the effect it would have upon 
her. After we were on board, he got into very low 
u 



230 

spirits, and shunned every one ; and the evening 
before we sailed he went forward to the bow of the 
vessel and sprang over, in order that he might drown 
himself. One of the seamen observing the act, 
plunged in after him, and seizing hold of him, kept 
him afloat until a boat was lowered to their assis- 
tance, into which he was lifted, and again placed on 
board. He was taken below and strictly watched 
during the night, by order of the commanding 
officer, who sent for him next day and remonstrated 
with him upon the manner in which he had behaved 
on the preceding evening; and told him, that he 
would that day write to an officer who was to follow 
them in a few days, and, as he was taking his lady 
along with him, required a servant, when he would 
recommend his wife to them; so he might hope 
to see her in India as soon as himself. During the 
voyage he kept tolerably cheerful, conscious of the 
sincerity of his officer in the promise he gave him, 
and who was as good as his word, and did procure 
the young woman a passage by the proposed means, 
and singularly enough she arrived in India a fort- 
night before her husband. Their joyful reunion can 
be more easily conceived than described. 

The women who were left behind, generally speak- 
ing, must have been in destitute circumstances, many 
of them having to travel several hundred miles before 
they could reach their homes (those who had any), 
and very few of them possessed more than a few 



231 

shillings, — some not even that. How they could 
manage I know not, except by obtaining assistance 
from common charity, as they proceeded on their 
journey. Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER LI. 



" There's a divinity that rules our fate." 

My Dear Friend, 

You have often heard the remark that " misfor- 
tunes never come single," and this I found thoroughly 
borne out in my own case, on the day I was inspected 
at Chelsea, when my pension was awarded me. — 
That day I certainly suffered such a succession of 
mishaps, as would have unhinged the best tempered 
man alive ; and I always look back to it, as a day on 
which I was doomed to be made w T retched. 

In the morning I got ready, as I considered, an 
hour before the time I was ordered to attend at 
Chelsea to pass examination, and as I thought it 
needless to appear sooner than the hour stated, 
I took up the newspaper and looked over it, until 
I considered my time for attendance had arrived; 
when, on looking at the clock, I found that I had 



232 

in the first instance mistaken the hour, and sup- 
posed it to have been only nine when it was ac- 
tually ten, which was the time of muster. Knowing 
well the punctuality with which all military orders 
are expected to be kept, I hastened off without los- 
ing a moment more, and ran as if for a wager, when, 
on turning suddenly round a corner I came in full 
force against a Billingsgate fish-woman, calling sprats, 
of which she had a basket full on her head. Over 
she went on her back, and away went the sprats 
through the mud, of which there was plenty. I fell 
flat upon her, when she seized me by the collar and 
rolled me off the top of her into the mire, but still 
holding on like grim death, dealing out a volley of 
hearty curses upon me, until some persons standing 
near us, compelled her to let me go. She demanded 
five shillings for the basket of sprats that were 
strewed in the street, and some recompense for the 
dirty state I had put her in, as she was literally mud 
all over, and myself not much better. After a con- 
siderable deal of altercation, during which a large 
concourse of people had assembled around us, some 
of them enjoying themselves at our expense, calling 
us a brace of mud-larks, and many other names. I 
made a bargain for the damages, and she allowed me 
to depart, by paying three shillings. In the state 
I was in it was impossible for me to appear at the 
inspection, so I retired to a public house close by to 
get cleaned. In this process I was kindly assisted 
by a young man who had observed my misfortune 



233 

and accompanied me to the house ; he helped 
me off with my coat, and while I was putting the 
rest of my garments in order, he took it outside the 
house to scrape the mud off. Whether he had done 
so or not I cannot say, for neither man nor coat 
ever made their appearance. It was only when I 
had got all the rest of my things set to rights 
and ready to start, that I began to have any dread 
of such a trick having been played me. The 
keeper of the house knew nothing of him, and sup- 
posed he was an acquaintance of mine, and having 
given him the loan of a knife to take the mud off 
my coat, and which he had likewise carried with him, 
made a demand upon me for its value, which he 
stated to be two shillings. There was no alterna- 
tive but to pay it, so I just bore this second mishap 
the best way I could, and as it was now two hours 
beyond my time I set off again to attend the muster, 
minus my coat and five shillings. Just as I got to the 
gate I met a comrade who had come from his exami- 
nation, who told me that I had not yet been called, 
and upon my mentioning to him my misfortune in 
losing my coat, he offered me the loan of his, to 
appear before the board. We then went to the 
nearest public house, where he stript off his coat, 
which I immediately put on and proceeded to the 
Hospital. In about an hour subsequent to my ar- 
rival, I was called in, and after a very short examina- 
tion discharged with nine pence per day. I then 
returned to the public house where I had left my 



234 

comrade, and gave him back his coat, when he 
offered to accompany me to a slop shop to have 
myself refitted. On our way to the tailor's shop, 
I called in at the public house, to make enquiry 
after my lost garment, still hoping to hear some- 
thing of it, but there was no appearance of the 
thief being found out, so we proceeded to procure 
another coat. 

You may very naturally suppose that I had suf- 
fered sufficient misfortunes for one day at least. Not 
so, — my cup was not yet full. Having supplied my- 
self with a coat, the tailor recommended me to take 
a pair of trowsers also, and offering them so low in 
price, I felt inclined to make a purchase of them, 
and retired to a back-room to fit them on. I had 
drawn off my old ones, and was about introducing my 
shanks into the new pair, when I heard footsteps de- 
scending a narrow staircase which entered the room 
at the opposite corner from that in which I had sta- 
tioned myself, and supposing, from the sweet music 
that accompanied them, that some female was ap- 
proaching, soon found myself in a dilemma — so 
spreading out my unmentionables to form a sort of bat- 
tery screen for my person, I took a few paces back- 
wards and entered a dark passage, which I had no 
sooner done than I made a sudden descent, and 
landed in the cellar. The noise of my fall, accom- 
panied with some pitiful exclamations, caused the 
tailor and my comrade to come to my assistance, who 
again brought me to light. The damages I sustained, 



235 

in this affair amounted to a cut on the forehead, and ft 
bruise on my right knee, which lamed me for some time. 
The man seemed very sorry for what had taken place, 
and as a recompense deducted a few shillings off 
the price of the trowsers; so after relating to him 
my former rencounter with the sprat woman, and its 
consequences, I left the shop, and having parted 
with my comrade, set off for my lodgings, in no 
pleasant humour from the fright I had got, and 
receiving two fresh wounds. 

On my way home, sulky enough at the day's 
disasters, and trying to console myself with the 
prospect, now that I had procured my discharge, of 
returning to my native country, I was accosted by a 
wicked looking woman, who, collaring me, accused 
me of having ran off from my lodgings in debt to her 
sister, and also of carrying away some articles that 
belonged to another person who lived in the house. 
I could not stand this, so ordering her to let go her 
hold, and informing her of the mistake she had 
made, I attempted to shake her off, when her lady- 
ship holloed out for assistance, and we soon had a 
mob surrounding us, when one of the police coming 
forward, she handed me over to him under a charge 
of theft and running off in debt to her sister. I 
walked peaceably on with the officer, and told him 
who I was, and that I had my discharge in my pock- 
et, which had only been given me that day, when 
he expressed his belief of my statement, and advised 
me to respresent it at the office, and the affair 



236 

would soon be settled. When we arrived at the ren- 
dezvous, the woman stated her charge against me, 
when she was questioned by the magistrate, as to 
the time when I had been guilty of the crime she 
charged me with. " About twelve months ago," she 
replied. " Oh, then," said I, "here is something that 
will settle this affair," and taking out my papers, I 
handed them to trim, which he looked over, and after 
some conversation with me regarding my servitude, 
told me he was quite satisfied that it was a mistake on 
the part of my accuser, whom, he informed me, 
was now in my power to punish, I did not wish to 
have any thing more to do with her, and as I expec- 
ted to leave London in a day or two, told them, that 
for my part, she was welcome to go about her busi- 
ness. I again set off for my lodgings, not how- 
ever, without some misgivings as to what might still 
intervene. Having reached them in safety, I related 
my adventures 3 and soon retired to rest, unhappy at 
a survey of the proceedings of this day of misery. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner, 



237 



LETTER LIL 

My Dear Friend, 

I have often heard it said that when we feel 
oppressed with the vexations and cares of life, we 
should look around, and see what others are suffering, 
as a little observation would soon convince us that 
there are many who are much more unhappy than 
ourselves, and that we ought to be contented with our 
lot. This reasoning was forcibly impressed upon me 
the day after I had met with such a succession of an- 
noying accidents, by hearing of the fate of a poor fellow r 
who had passed through many a dangerous scene, 
fighting the battles of his country ; and after return- 
ing to his native land covered with wounds, and pro- 
curing the retiring allowance for his services, was, at 
an unexpected moment carried off, before he had 
arrived at the home to which he had so long pined 
to return, and which prospect had cheered him 
through the dangers and fatigues of many years of 
hard servitude. 

" Dull grave — thou spoil'st the dance of youthful blood, 
Strik'st out the dimple from the cheek of mirth, 
And ev'ry smirking feature from the face ; 
Branding our laughter with the name of madness," 



238 

Early on the morning which succeeded my day of 
catastrophies, I set oil to Chelsea, anxious to learn 
how many ^f my old acquaintances had received 
their pensi ms, when I was informed of the melan- 
choly end f nc; wh m I h^d the day previous, seen 
in all the- gaiety an ) vigour of life. He, with two 
others of ou n::i who had passed, and had their 
pensions allotted them, determining to enjoy them- 
selves for th rest of that day, proceeded to the 
Lambeth side <i Westminster bridge, and procured 
a small boat, that they mi^ht take an acquatic ex- 
cursion i >n the Thames, as far as Putney, a short dis- 
tance up the river. They had spent some hours there, 
and on the approach of evening prepared to return; 
but not until they hal indulged themselves rather 
too freely in the use of the gin bottle. 

On their way down, their attention was arrested 
by a fire which had broken out in a house close to the 
river, a little above Westminster Bridge, when they 
proposed running the boat close to the shore to wit- 
ness it. At the time this w T as agreed upon, two of 
them were seated working the oars, while the other 
was standing up near the stern, and the boat was in- 
stantly put about and rowed to the shore, when it 
was discovered that the man who had been standing 
in the stern had disappeared, and it was concluded 
that he must have fallen overboard. On nearing 
the bank of the river, the two men who were at 
the oars, kept their faces turned to the bow of 
the boat that they might avoid running foul of some 



239 

barges that lay near them, and it must have been 
while they were thus seated, that the unfortu- 
nate man had fallen over. They immediately re- 
traced their way, and enquired of some boatmen who 
were in the neighbourhood, if they had observed any 
one struggling in the water, but none of them had 
perceived any thing of the kind. They continued 
hovering about the spot until after it became dark, 
and then returned with the boat, after which they 
proceeded to the hospital, and informed the officers 
of every thing connected with this melancholy affair. 
It was needless to have attempted recovering the 
body that night; but a party went to search the river 
next morning, when they found that some of the wa- 
termen had picked it up. The two men appeared 
before a magistrate, and made affidavit as to all the 
particulars of the c-ise, admitting* that they were all 
three partly intoxicated. One of them was in a very 
excited state of mind, and seemed a^ if ho would 
have gone deranged. The other, who was mor? of 
a stoic, too!^ it very coolly, and it wao only from him 
that a correct account of the matter could be pro- 
cured. The nervous agitation of the one, formed a 
striking contrast to the coolness of th? other. 

A Coroner's inquest was held, whei} : t was satis- 
factorily ascertained by tho examination o r several 
witnesses from the public house at Putney, that they 
had no quarrel while there, and appeared exceed- 
ingly good friends. No marks 01 violence could be 
observed on the body of the deceased, and every 



240 

thing indicated that it was entirely accidental. In- 
deed no one acquainted with the parties could ever 
have attributed it to any thing but accident. The 
jury were unanimous in their verdict, which was — 
66 Accidental death, by falling into the river from a 
boat, while in a state of intoxication." From the 
account given by the witnesses from Putney, it ap- 
peared that they had drank very freely while there, 
and that the man who was drowned, on stepping into 
the boat when about to leave, nearly upset them all 
from his unsteadiness. The Coroner delivered a 
very appropriate admonition to the two men, and 
pointed out to all present, the awful consequences of 
drunkenness, which, whatever might be its effects 
afterwards made a deep impression at the time. — 
The keeper of the public house was also admonished 
for permitting them to get too much liquor, knowing, 
as he did, that they had to return by water, the con- 
sequences of which he now saw. 

This poor fellow had served seventeen years, dur- 
ing which time he had fought in many a battle, and 
been several times wounded ; and at last became dis- 
abled from the effects of a ball which shattered his 
right arm. He had been awarded a pension of one 
shilling and two-pence per day, and intended to re- 
turn to Sutherlandshire, in Scotland, in a few days, 
to spend the remainder of his life amongst his friends, 
and enjoy his well earned pension. But, alas ! what 
avails all our plans and arrangements in life. 
Yours, &c. The Commuted Pensioner. 



241 



LETTER LIII. 

My Dear Friend, 

You must have heard many instances of the 
reckless manner with which sailors spend their mo- 
ney when they get ashore. I believe soldiers are 
the class that most approximate to them in this 
prodigality of conduct; and I assure you I have wit- 
nessed so many instances of their want of manage- 
ment in money matters, as would prevent me from 
being sceptical of almost any story I could hear 
related regarding them. The savings of many years 
of hard service is often squandered in the course of a 
few days. They are a frank unsuspecting class of 
men, generally speaking, and so easily duped, that 
any designing knave can make them a prey for their 
duplicity. 

One of the pensioners of the 59th who had saved 
a little of his pay, which, in addition to the advance 
of pension he received after passing his exam- 
ination, made a sum sufficient to have enabled him 
to travel home in comfort, and support himself 
until he had it in his power to procure some em- 
ployment; but unfortunately for him, an evening 
or two before he intended to leave London for 
his home, he adjourned to a public house without 



242 

any of his comrades being with him, and there met 
with some worthless scoundrels who no sooner dis- 
covered that he was in possession of a few pounds 
than they laid their plans to fleece him. After a 
good bouse, they proposed having a hand at cards, 
and the stakes offered to be played for, were so 
very trifling, that no suspicion could have been enter- 
tained of any intention of what could be termed 
gambling. They seemed very indifferent players, 
and the soldier was generally successful, which en- 
couraged him the more readily to permit an increase 
in the amount to be played for. Still he continued 
to win, and he now began to look to the probability of 
retiring from the table with a considerable addition 
to his stock. A higher stake was again proposed, 
and still he, on the average, was the gainer, when a 
stranger, who had been smoking his pipe and look- 
ing carelessly on, offered to take any of them up at 
what he called something worth playing for, and 
placed twenty shillings before them. The unwary 
soldier took him up, and was the winner, when ano- 
ther for the same amount was played, which the 
pensioner also gained. The stranger then, cursing 
his bad luck, proposed increasing the stakes, and 
produced five pounds, challenging the pensioner to 
play him for that amount. He, being intoxicated 
with his previous success, and looking upon the 
other to be by no means his match, instantly accep-? 
ted the challenge, and also tabled his money. They 
played, and to the great disappointment of the poor 



243 

pensioner, the stranger won. Another five pounds 
were staked by the stranger, and quickly covered by 
the other, who thought it impossible for him to 
lose a second time, but again he lost. A third stake 
was proposed and eagerly accepted by the pensioner, 
stung with disappointment, and in the mad hope 
of retrieving his previous losses, in which, however, 
he was disappointed. Thus stake succeeded stake, 
with the same success, until the poor fellow was left 
with only twenty shillings, and upwards of five hun- 
dred miles to travel before he could reach his home. 

The result of this play convinced him of his folly, 
and he rose up from the table to return to his lodg- 
ings, when he was accused of cowardice, and per- 
suaded to endeavour to regain his lost money. He 
informed them that he had only twenty shillings in 
the world, stating, the distance he required to travel, 
and if deprived of this small amount, he would be 
compelled to beg his way home. The depraved vil- 
lains could not allow him to depart with even that 
sum, and by incessant persuasion, and application to 
the gin bottle, induced him at last to risk it. This 
finished his stock, when he returned to his com- 
panions with only a few pence in his pocket, in a de- 
jected state of mind, conscious of his excessive folly. 

He informed his comrades of the extent of his 
misfortunes, when some of them went along with him 
in search of the rascals, to endeavour to recover the 
poor fellow's money; but the landlord stated that he 
knew nothing of them, more than the soldier himself, 



244 

and asserted that he had never seen any of the par- 
ties previous to their having met in his house. This 
was a very unlikely circumstance, for according to 
the soldier's account, they appeared very familier in 
the house, and that at the time he entered it, one of 
the party was sitting in a box drinking with the land- 
lord, with whom he remained in conversation for some 
time after. There was no doubt, whatever, but that 
the landlord was accessory to this nefarious business; 
but the difficulty of proving it would have been so 
great as to render the possibility of conviction hope- 
less. The soldier admitted that after they com- 
menced to play, he did not observe the landlord in 
the tap-room, and the boy who attended it, was the 
only person who entered, to supply them with the 
liquor ordered, which was always paid for when put 
down. It seemed evident from this, that the land- 
lord, conscious of what was going on, wilfully kept 
out of the way, for fear of being implicated in the 
affair, and becoming liable to punishment for allow- 
ing gambling to be carried on in his premises. The 
party were so enraged, that they would have inflicted 
summary punishment on the public house keeper, 
had not one of them, forseeing the evil consequences 
that would arise from such a course, persuaded them 
rather to complain to one of their officers, or to a 
magistrate, and by that means got them peaceably 
away* 

The officer would have nothing to do with the 
affair, and this so disheartened them, as to the like- 



245 

lihood of procuring any satisfactory redress for their 
comrade, that they did not attempt to pursue the 
matter any further, and as a means of enabling him to 
reach his home, each contributed a small sum for 
that purpose ; when he made arrangements to pro- 
ceed on his journey, not in the best of spirits, but 
well satisfied with the good feeling displayed towards 
him by his fellow warriors. 

Another unfortunate fellow entered one of the 
flash auction shops with which London abounds, and 
having a few pounds in his possession, was induced 
by some men who attend these places for the purpose 
of puffing up the goods and entraping the unwary, 
to purchase various trinkets stated to be manufac- 
tured of the finest gold, and which they assured him 
would yield a large profit in the remote part of the 
country to which he was going. On his return he 
displayed to us his great bargains, when we soon 
discovered to what extent he had been cheated, and 
he was laughed at, or condoled with, according to 
the humour of his comrades, while they were busy 
inspecting his stock of trumpery. His monev was 
all spent, and the trash he had obtained in lieu of it 
was of no use to him, neither could he ever expect 
to dispose of them at almost any price. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



246 



LETTER LIV. 

My Dear Friend, 

As the smack Pilot, for Leith, in which I was 
to proceed to Scotland, was to sail with the morning 
tide, that served at five o'clock, I embarked the 
previous evening, along with some other pensioners 
for the same destination, with the intention of sleep- 
ing that night on board ; but as much of the cargo 
was still to be taken in, and all was confusion, we 
adjourned to a public house to spend a few hours, 
until we could conveniently go on board. 

After remaining there for some time, a number of 
persons, principally sailors, assembled to raffle a 
watch belonging to a poor widow, who had been left 
destitute. We also joined the company, and en- 
tered our names for a stake, and every one that 
came into the house during the evening, were en- 
treated by the sailors to put down their shilling and 
take a throw of the dice, and there were very few 
that did not do so. This continued until about ten 
o'clock, when no more strangers appearing, the 
watch was awarded to the mate of a vessel lying in 
the river, who very generously gave it to a little boy, 
a son of the unfortunate widow. 



247 

A subscription was then made for a dance, and 
four-pence each subscribed to engage a fiddler who 
had been in attendance during the night, in expec- 
tation of a job. Tables, forms and all other obsta- 
cles were soon cleared away, and the disciple of 
Orpheus elevated in a corner of the room, a pair 
of regular Jacks then led forward their ladies, and 
commenced in grand style, to the " wind that shakes 
the barley." The room not being large enough to 
admit of more than two couples taking the floor at a 
time, one set succeeded another so rapidly, that the 
poor fiddler began to sing out for quarter, which was 
refused, and he was told that as he had been engag- 
ed for two hours, without any stipulation as to rests, 
he should either fulfil his agreement or depart with- 
out his money, which amounted to about seven or 
eight shillings. He remonstrated, but finding them 
determined, and not being inclined to forfeit the 
amount collected for him, stripped to his shirt and 
trowsers, and resumed his scraping, continuing to 
do so with little or no intermission until twelve 
o'clock, which terminated his engagement, and what 
from the heat, the crowded state of the room, and 
his constant employment, he was pretty much ex- 
hausted, as the streams of perspiration which burst 
from his little pimply face, fully testified. 

As our musician was preparing to depart, his wife, 
a masculine looking woman, entered the room, and 
after a few questions, which she put to him in an 
under tone, but which we understood touched on 



248 

money matters, he begged our protection, stating, 
that his wife, was in the habit of taking all his 
cash from him ; and that she was now making her 
usual demand for what he had earned during the 
evening. The woman, on her part, declared, that 
unless she looked after him she would never get a 
farthing; and they had a young family who de- 
pended principally on her for their support, as their 
father seldom returned home until he had squander- 
ed away every penny he received. The landlord of 
the house corroborated the woman's statement, giving 
her an excellent character, and but for whose exer- 
tions, he said, their children must have starved, or 
become the inmates of the work-house. He was or- 
dered to deliver up his money ; which was done with 
great reluctance, when he told us that we were 
no better than common robbers. This enraged the 
sailors so much that they determined to punish him, 
and being anxious to prolong the dance, they pro- 
posed, that, for the benefit of his family, they would 
employ him another hour, and that two-pence each 
should be collected for that purpose, from all pre- 
sent. He declared he would not play ; but sailors 
are not to be trifled with, so the money was handed 
over to his wife, and he was desired to strike up his 
music. " Don't hesitate, my boy," said a jolly tar, 
6S or look you here, you shall have a round dozen in 
a twinkling," at same time producing a firm piece of 
rope about two feet long, at sight of which the little 
man began to tremble, and offered to come to terms, 



249 

saying, that if he were allowed half the proceeds of 
this new engagement he would go on. " Play up," 
said Jack, " or blow me, you red-faced little nigger, 
I'll rub you down," and putting the violin into his 
hand, he held the rope ready to lay on. " Here it 
goes," cried the sailor, and taking a position to 
command the fiddler's back, told him it should be 
" once, twice, thrice." The little man evidently 
saw that things were getting serious; yet still it 
seemed doubtful from the sulky expression of his 
physiognomy if he would obey, until he heard the 
determined tone with which the sailor was dealing 
out the awful monosyllables that were to precede the 
torture, so just as Jack was about to repeat the fatal 
word, and suit the action to it, he drew his bow 
across the strings, and in an instant four pair of trot- 
ters were footing it to " Malbrook." With the rope 
suspended over him, he was compelled to work out 
the amount subscribed for his family, when he and 
his wife left us, not without a hearty curse on his 
part, which, however, was overcome by a vote of 
thanks and an elegant retiring curtsey from his lady. 
We now left the party, and got on board the 
smack, which was ready to sail, and only waited the 
ebb of the tide, which would take place in a few 
hours. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



250 



LETTER LV. 

My Dear Friend, 

Solomon tells us, " In the lips of him that 
hath understanding wisdom is found : but a rod is 
for the back of him that is void of understanding:" 
but two of our cabin passengers had not studied this 
moral lesson, or if so, had neglected its practical ap- 
plication, as what follows plainly demonstrates : 

We set sail early in a beautiful morning in the 
month of August, and soon reached Gravesend. 
From this point our progress became very slow, the 
winds varying from calm to light breezes. There 
were about thirty passengers in all and as our voy- 
age had every appearance of being a tedious one, 
Boreas having, seemingly, overlooked us in his or- 
derly book, and as the calmness and beauty of the 
weather enabled us to keep on deck, various amuse- 
ments were resorted to with the view of lessening its 
tedium. There were upwards of twenty cabin pas- 
sengers, and in the steerage there were four old sol- 
diers, (myself included) two young men, journeymen 
bakers, and though last, not least, as sonsie an auld 
wife as you would meet in a day's march, who afforded 
us much entertainment, by her humorous description 
o' Lunon, as she termed the great city : and our 



251 

amusement was much heightened by her stories being 
interlarded with a history of her daughter Jenny, 
whom she informed us had lately lain in o' a fine 
laddie wean, stating, with great satisfaction, " that 
it was as like its faether as it could glow'r, an' it had 
a red head, the very same as Saundie's," which, con- 
tinued she, " I was real glad to observe — it corres- 
ponds, ye ken^ an' sets aside a' manner o' doubts. — 
Na, man, but what d'ye think ! Saundie has a kind 
o' a squint wi' his left ee, an' I declare the bit cra- 
tur's just got the self same. An' if ever it grows to 
to be a man it '11 just be Saunders ouer again," and 
in this manner would she amuse us, with her various 
subjects of conversation, in which she displayed both 
humour and simplicity. But I must return to my 
text, and explain the proposition I set out with. 

It was the general practice after dinner, for the 
passengers to assemble and have a dance upon the 
quarter deck, one of the young gentlemen being 
always ready with his flute, on which he played in 
admirable style, being thereby greatly instrumental 
in adding to the amusement of all on board. 

In passing through Yarmouth Roads we were be- 
calmed, and were accordingly, obliged to come to an 
anchor. In the evening, as usual, our revels com- 
menced, and fun and frolic seemed to be the presid- 
ing genii on the deck of our trim built bark. 

" But pleasures are like poppies spread, 
You seize the flow'r, its bloom is shed." 



252 

The scene shifted, — and from harmless mirth, 
drunken riot followed. Two of the cabin passengers 
having indulged themselves rather freely at the flow- 
ing bowl, had either intentionally or otherwise, given 
offence to one of the ladies, who immediately com- 
plained to the captain, and went below to her cabin. 
The captain remonstrated with them upon the im- 
propriety of their conduct, and took the chief offen- 
der to one side to reason with him in a friendly way, 
when he was saluted with a blow on the face, that 
brought him down flat upon the deck. The scene 
which followed looked serious enough, as two of the 
sailors seized hold of the person who struck their 
captain, and were about throwing him overboard, 
and it was with great difficulty they could be re- 
strained from doing so, and at last were only pre- 
vailed on to desist, by the captain promising the 
men, that when they arrived at Leith he would 
hand over the unruly passenger to the proper 
authorities there. On hearing this, the two passen- 
gers broke out in a strain of abuse that was really 
abominable, and made use of such shameful epithets 
towards the ladies as I was surprised to hear from 
men possessing so much the appearance of gentle- 
men. The ladies all retired below, horror struck at 
their language, when a consultation was held on deck 
by the other gentlemen, to determine what punish- 
ment should be inflicted on the offenders. Had the 
result rested with the sailors, I have no doubt that 
their punishment would have been very summary in- 



253 

deed, but the matter was settled by the Captain or- 
dering the boat to be lowered, and the luggage of 
the offending parties to be brought on deck, which 
was no sooner done, than he told them to step in, 
which they refused : he then desired his men to get 
some cord, with which they bound their ancles and 
wrists, and then caused them to be lifted into the 
boat. He then addressed them, stating, " that 
their conduct to him, bad as it was, would not 
have induced him to resort to such a mode of 
punishment, or probably any; but when he found 
the peace and comfort of those under his protection 
invaded by their outragious conduct, and language 
made use of by them in the presence of ladies, that 
could only have been expected from the most de- 
graded characters, and which certainly was most dis- 
graceful to any who had the slightest pretensions to 
the character of gentlemen, he was imperatively cal- 
led upon, as a matter of duty, to put them out of the 
vessel." He then gave the boat in charge of the 
mate, with instructions to land them and their lug- 
gage, and to take particular care that they sustained 
no bodily harm. 

The boat proceeded to the land with its cargo, and 
the two passengers having been unbound were set 
ashore with their luggage. The mate received a 
message from them, to inform the Captain, that on 
their arrival in Scotland, they would apply to a 
court of justice against him for redress, on account 
of being seized and sent ashore, and that they would 



254 

make it one of the most serious matters for the Cap- 
tain that he had probably ever met with. This, I 
scarcely think they would attempt, as they must, 
upon reflection, have been aware that their conduct 
fully warranted the punishment, which was only too 
mild for their offence. 

The remainder of the passage, which was rather 
tedious, passed off very pleasantly, and we contin- 
ued to amuse ourselves in various ways, and the 
dancing was resumed in the evenings, without any 
further interruption. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER LVI. 

My Dear Friend, 

In a previous letter I slightly alluded to the 
scanty provision made for soldiers' wives and their 
children, when not permitted to accompany their 
husbands to a foreign station ; and I shall now take 
a cursory glance at the character and prospects of a 
British soldier, which, I trust, will be done in good 
feeling and impartially. 

I have always been led to consider the profession of 
a soldier, as one of the most important in the civilized 
world. He is virtually the protector of the institu- 



255 

tions of his country, and, as can be proved in thou- 
sands of instances, their only dependence in the hour 
of danger. If the land is threatened by some mer- 
ciless and ambitious tyrant, it is to the soldier that 
the inhabitants look for protection. If it is convulsed 
with internal commotion, and the laws disobeyed 
and violated, the soldier, as the last resource, steps 
forward to restore peace, punish the guilty, and pro- 
tect the innocent; and with such important offices to 
perform, this profession has always been, and will 
continue to be looked upon, as one of the noblest 
fields for honourable ambition. 

I know of no profession in which so many illus- 
trious men have risen to eminence from comparatively 
an humble origin as that of the soldier. Bravery 
and talent lead them on step by step, till at last they 
reach the summit of the temple of fame. The dis- 
cipline and equipment of the British army at the 
present day, are the admiration of all; and I am 
happy to add, that the comforts and improvements 
that have been introduced into the service since I 
belonged to it, are both numerous and important, 
holding out an inducement for a better class of men, 
than formerly, to embrace the profession. 

That every laudable scheme should be attempted 
to improve their moral and intellectual character, is 
what no one will attempt to dispute; and, as my 
experience in the humble capacity in which I served, 
afforded me an opportunity both to witness and feel 
the effects of the great want on these points, I am 



256 

the more anxious to see them carefully cultivated ; 
and the question that naturally suggests itself is — 
What should be done ? 

I am well aware that, in every scheme for the 
amelioration of the moral condition of the soldier, 
the great obstacle to be overcome is intemperance ; 
neither am I a stranger to the difficulty attending the 
suppression of this evil, and feel also that it will 
be but gradual ; still let the attempt be persevered 
in, and I have no doubt that it will ultimately prove 
successful in the great majority of cases. Let every 
reasonable indulgence be granted to the sober, steady 
soldier ; while the drunkard must of course be 
punished. It is for his good, and it is requisite also 
for example. The two great causes of the prevalence 
of intemperance amongst soldiers, seem to me, to be 
the following. First — -The too great facility of pro- 
curing liquors ; and, second — the want of means for 
the proper improvement of their leisure time while in 
barracks. In regard to the first point, I think no one 
can doubt, that temptation is too much in the way 
of the soldier, when they consider that not only, in 
almost every instance, is the immediate neighbourhood 
of the barracks crowded with pot houses, but that even 
inside the walls temptations are thrown in their way 
by the permission of canteens. I have often thought 
the establishment of canteens had a very bad ten- 
dency on the habits of the men ; independent of the 
temptation they must meet with from its convenience; 
and it seems strange, that they should be licensed 



257 

by the government, and a premium paid for the pri- 
vilege of supplying the soldiers with an article which 
is equally detrimental to their health as it is subver- 
sive of all regularity of conduct. The farther such 
a temptation is removed, it were surely the better ; 
as I believe it to be an admitted fact, that nine tenths 
of the punishments that take place in the army, 
arise from the use of intoxicating liquors, which 
undoubtedly tend to brutalize the character, inflame 
the passions, and destroy all prudent and economical 
habits. The effects of intemperance in civil life 
have been frequently pointed out, and are now well 
understood; and I assure you they operate in an 
equal, if not in a greater ratio in the military. — 
Having put the temptation of resorting to drink as 
much out of the soldier's way as possible, the next 
thing to be attended to, in my view of the matter, 
is to provide means for the profitable employment of 
his leisure hours. For this purpose I would refer 
generally, to the various improvements which have 
taken, and are continually taking place in the system 
of education and moral improvement in civil society, 
portions of which can undoubtedly be ingrafted 
successfully into the army ; and there is one scheme 
which I understand has already been adopted with 
success in several regiments of the line, and which I 
yet hope to see universally adopted, I mean the in- 
troduction of libraries ; by which means, through a 
careful selection of such books as blend information 
and instruction with amusement, the leisure of the 



258 

soldier may be most judiciously spent, and will have 
the effect of engendering steady habits, and teaching 
him to have a due respect for himself, as well as his 
superiors. 

It is a common remark, though in my humble 
opinion, a very absurd one, that w the greatest black- 
guard makes the best soldier or sailor;" and it is 
generally thought that when a man becomes intoler- 
able in civil society, from his bad conduct, that he is 
only fit for those professions. I would like to know 
how such opinions would hold good as applied to the 
officers who command them, and whether, if it is 
requisite that men of honor and education are selected 
for their commanders, some portion of the same 
qualities are not required for the commanded. De- 
pend upon it, what is applicable to the one is also 
applicable, in a certain extent, to the other. 

In time of war, the recruiting Serjeant with his 
" soul-stirring drum" collects throughout the land a 
band of the most uncontrollable spirits the country 
can produce — individuals, who, generally speaking, 
either cannot or will not apply themselves to the 
peaceful avocations of life ; and these restless souls, 
after being an annoyance to their friends and the 
community, are borne off to fight the battles of their 
country. The higher class of society procure com- 
missions, while those from the humble walks of life 
fall into the ranks, and as many excellent soldiers 
are produced from this heterogeneous mass argues 
much in favor of the army as a school of reform. — 



259 

Many, however enter the army of a very different 
cast — men of virtuous dispositions and cultivated 
minds, who are often actuated by a thirst for roman- 
tic adventure and chivalrous distinction, and who 
certainly give an improved tone to its general charac- 
ter. Such men, when so fortunate as to distinguish 
themselves in the field or by their general good sol- 
dier-like conduct get advanced, are pointed out in 
society and act as a great incentive for such a class 
entering the lists ; there is nothing that tends more 
to fire a man of respectability with military ardour, 
than hearing of those who have been fortunate in 
their career. 

There are thousands of mechanics in Britain that 
would be much better in the army than employed as 
they are at their low rate of wages, who with poverty, 
disease, and the alms-house staring them in the face, 
spin out a life of wretchedness and toil, and too often 
sink into a premature grave from the close confine- 
ment to which they are subject and the poor fare they 
have to subsist upon ; and I have no doubt the bet- 
ter behaved of them would feel more inclined to be- 
come soldiers were greater attention paid to improve 
their general character. Much has been done in 
this respect since I can recollect, but there is still an 
ample field for further exertion. 

The food and clothing of the soldier is generally 
much better than the mechanics I allude to can 
procure, and the barracks are far more comfort- 
able than any of the small, unwholesome apart- 



•260 

ments into which they are huddled, and cleanliness, 
which is a part of a soldier's duty, is as carefully 
looked after in the barracks as on the parade, and 
they are thereby protected from various diseases 
that are engendered in the habitations of the work- 
ing classes in the manufacturing districts of Great 
Britain. 

When the soldier is sick, he has the attendance of 
the medical officers belonging to the service, and a 
comfortable clean hospital to reside in ; and when 
the time of his servitude is over and the infirmities 
of life have crept upon him a pension is allowed him, 
which, though small, may do much towards protect- 
ing him in his old age from the evils with which 
poverty visits the worn-out mechanic. 

The pay of the army is allowed by those capable 
of judging, to be too low, and in comparison with 
the civil service, it is very obvious; but I suppose 
the immense numbers required for the service, has 
caused such a severe scrutiny to be made on the 
heavy expense to the nation, that it has been pared 
down to the least possible amount. 

I have always preferred going upon foreign ser- 
vice, for various reasons, — two of which are, that a 
soldier is more respected abroad than at home, and 
generally finds himself better provided for. In India, 
especially, this is the case. 

When a soldier first arrives in India, and I believe 
it is the same in all hot countries, he finds his health 
in a very bad state. This I think is in a great mea- 



261 

sure caused by the sudden change in the food, from 
salt provisions which they receive on the voyage out, 
to fresh provisions which are supplied to them imme- 
diately upon their arrival, and to the practice of hav- 
ing parades in the morning before the dispersion of 
the dews. I consider that the health of the soldiers 
would be greatly improved were fresh provisions only 
gradually had recourse to and morning parades dis- 
pensed with. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



LETTER LVII. 

My Dear Friend, 

Having now related to you many of the sketches 
and anecdotes, which my service in the army had 
supplied me with, I shall now resume my narrative 
and bring it to a close. 

Upon my return to Edinburgh my first object was 
to find out my wife and family, whom I had left there* 
when I went to India to join my Regiment. I had no 
difficulty to encounter in my search, as I found her 
in the same house I left her in seven years before. 
Our reunion, after so long a separation, was gratifying 



262 

to Us both ; and although poor in worldly circum- 
stances we consoled ourselves with the hope that 
better times awaited us, and the prospect of never 
again separating for any length of time on this side 
the grave. Many were our mutual inquiries as to 
what had happened during our separation, and I was 
under the necessity of " fighting my battles o'er 
again" for her satisfaction. In answer to my in- 
terrogatories, she told me that she had had many a 
hard struggle during my absence ; but, as she had 
been blessed with good health, was enabled to main- 
tain herself and family, and kedp a roof above their 
heads, by the exercise of her needle. I found, also 
that death had been busy amongst my friends and 
acquaintances, and amongst others my mother, mo- 
ther-in-law and youngest son had become the victims 
of the relentless tyrant. 

About a month after my return, I received from 
my agent an order for the sum of five pounds, being 
an allowance granted me in consideration of my 
wounds. Eighteen months thereafter, I received 
from him an order for nine pounds, less agency fees, 
being the first instalment of prize money ; and two 
years subsequently, a second instalment of five 
pounds, also less agency fees. A third instalment 
was long promised but I never received it ; and ulti- 
mately I was given to understand that there would 
be no further sum paid on that account. Thus, these 
two sums — nine pounds and five pounds — were all 
that was allowed as prize money for the taking of 



* 263 

Java, although before leaving the Island we had been 
informed that the share of each private was twenty- 
five pounds. I was never able to learn the cause of 
this shortcoming in our prize money. 

In the year 1817, a gentleman of the name of 
Kinloch, a native of Scotland, left the sum of one 
million, sterling, to certain trustees, with directions 
that the interest of that sum should be appropriated 
to the relief of wounded soldiers and sailors of Scotch 
extraction whose pensions did not amount to one 
shilling per day. Being of the number of those 
pointed out as entitled to relief from the Kin- 
loch bequest, I made application, and received an 
answer, stating that my name had been put upon the 
list; but as only five hundred could receive allowances 
from the fund at one time, I could not for the pre- 
sent reap any advantage, but as vacancies occurred, 
I should in my turn be put upon the pay list, and 
if I changed my place of residence, I was to 
intimate the same to the secretary. I have never 
reaped any benefit from this application; and although 
upon my leaving Scotland I intimated my intention 
to the secretary, and have, since my arrival in this 
country, addressed two letters to him, I have as yet 
received no answer. 

From the period of my return from India until I 
embarked for Canada, I continued to reside in Edin- 
burgh, working at my trade. Business had got very 
bad; many men were entirely out of work, and almost 
in a state of destitution, and others with only such 



264 

partial employment as allowed them but a very 
scanty subsistence. Although I did not get very 
constant employment, I durst not open my mouth to 
any of my fellow workmen in the way of complaint, 
for if I did so, I was sure to be told I had no right 
to complain, as I had a pension of nine pence per 
day, besides my work to depend upon. This was no 
doubt true; and although it was but a very small 
dependence, yet it might have been of very great 
service to me, had I not rendered its smallness still 
smaller by my folly. Like too many old soldiers, I 
was at this time not very famous for temperance, and 
was very apt at pension time to get into the com- 
pany of some thirsty souls like myself, and in their 
society dissipate in a useless manner a portion of 
that money which should have been applied to the 
support of my family. I did not, however, carry my 
folly to the extent that some of my fellow pensioners 
did, who were wont to continue their course of drink- 
ing until nothing of the pension remained, for I 
generally managed to take the greater part of my 
money to my family; still, however, I would have 
shown more sense and discretion if I had totally ab- 
stained from drink. 

About the beginning of the year 1832, I observed 
in the newspapers a notice from Government to Pen- 
sioners, stating that they might have their pensions 
commuted, receiving in lieu thereof four years' pur- 
chase, and a grant of land either in Australia 
or in anv of the North American Colonies. — 



265 

At the time this notice met my eye, business was far 
from being brisk, and I thought it might be for my 
advantage to embrace the offered opportunity. As 
Canada was more accessible for small means than 
Australia^ that was the point towards which I 
thought of steering my course ; but as I was in 
total ignorance of the nature of the country, my 
first object was to obtain information on that point. 
I therefore procured some of the many works then 
published treating of the Canadas, and the descrip- 
tions which they contained greatly increased my desire 
to go there, and ultimately determined me to com- 
mute my pension and take up my residence in 
Canada. Accordingly, I entered into the transaction 
with Government and received the sum of thirty 
pounds down, the remaining part to be paid upon 
my arrival in Quebec. I then engaged a passage for 
myself and family on board the Chieftain, Barque, 
then lying in Leith docks, taking in passengers for 
Canada; and in the month of June, 1832, I once 
more set sail from the shores of my native country. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



266 



LETTER LVIII. 



Having set sail we skirted the eastern coast 
of Scotland, passed through the Pentland Firth, and 
proceeded to traverse the mighty Atlantic towards 
the point of our destination ; and after a passage 
of six weeks, from the time we left our native land, 
we cast anchor at the quarantine station at Grosse 
Isle, where we were detained for two days, and 
then permitted to proceed to Quebec. I shall 
not attempt a delineation of the effect which the 
first appearance of that city has upon the beholder ; 
suffice it to say, that I was much astonished and 
delighted with it. After being visited by the health 
officer we received permission to land. At this time 
that terrible scourge, the cholera, was raging with 
the utmost virulence, and business of every kind 
seemed to be in a state of stagnation. 

As it was not my intention to remain at Quebec, 
I took a cursory glance at a few of the most re- 
markable features about it, such as the fortifications, 
the plains of Abraham, the citadel, &c. Having 
satisfied my curiosity as well as I could during the 
short time I had to spare, I took my papers and went 
to the proper quarter, and drew the remaining part 



267 

of my commutation money^ and procured my location 
ticket. As the evening was pretty well advanced I 
returned to the wharf to take a passage on board of 
one of the steam boats, for myself and family, for 
Montreal. While on the wharf I was a witness to 
a melancholy accident. A number of emigrants 
who had come passengers in a vessel which left 
Leith at the same time we did, and had arrived 
in port only a few hours before us, were collected 
together. Two of them appeared to be quarrel- 
ing and the others were attempting to quiet 
them. While this was going on, one of the two, 
either through accident or design, struck another 
of the party, whose passion was thereby roused and 
immediately put himself into a fighting attitude, he 
stepped back to avoid the attempts that were made 
by his comrades to restrain him, when unfortunately 
he missed his footing and fell over the wharf into the 
river, and was no more seen alive. The body was 
not found until next day, when it was discovered 
within a short distance of the place where the acci- 
dent occurred. The following particulars regarding 
the man and his family, I learned partly at the time 
and partly at an after period, from one of his fellow 
passengers. He was a married man, with a wife and 
family of four children, who were entirely dependant 
upon his exertions for their support, and were by his 
sudden and melancholy death left entirely destitute. 
As it was the wish of the widow to return to Scot- 
land, a subscription was entered into by her fellow 



268 

passengers and a few charitable individuals in Que- 
bec who became cognizant of the affair. A sum was 
raised sufficient to have taken her home, and the 
time had nearly arrived, when she was to embark, 
when the poor widow was seized with cholera, and 
carried off after a few hours' illness, leaving a family 
of helpless orphans. The same charitable individuals 
who stepped forward on the first occasion, again 
exerted themselves, and the children were well pro- 
vided for. 

After having arrived at Montreal, we found con- 
siderable difficulty in procuring a place to shelter 
ourselves in ; and as we were all more or less indis- 
posed, and not in a condition for travelling farther, 
we determined to remain where we were for some 
time and endeavour to get employment at our res- 
pective trades. It was, however, a considerable time 
before we were sufficiently recovered to enable us to 
look out for employment, and my money had now 
dwindled down to a very small sum. On this 
account, after my eldest son and myself had procured 
work, we resolved not to leave Montreal that season, 
but wait until the ensuing, when I would proceed 
by myself to my location and examine its capabilities, 
and if I found it would answer, I would thereafter 
transport my family thither. 

Before proceeding farther, I beg here to offer a 
few remarks upon the subject of the commutation of 
pensions which has been suggested by my own expe- 
rience. 



269 

Old soldiers are proverbial grumblers, but I will 
not, at the present time, stop to enquire whether or 
not the character is deserved, I only hope that the 
following observations, will not prove the truth of the 
adage. 

The scheme of commuting pensions has turned out 
to be fraught with misery and wretchedness to the 
old soldier. My experience now teaches me that 
the materiel of the old soldier rendered it impossible 
for any other result to follow such a scheme. While 
serving in the army, which in most cases constitute a 
considerable portion of the man's life, he has had no 
care in providing for his own wants, every thing being 
found for him; he has, therefore, no thought of tomor- 
row, and to the provident care of money he is a total 
stranger. The natural consequence of all this is, 
that any considerable amount of money coming into 
his possession is squandered away as if it were never 
to have an end. This was strongly examplified in the 
case of the commuted pensioners. The portion of the 
money paid to them in Britain was mostly expended in 
paying their passage and making the necessary outfit 
for the voyage. Upon their arrival in Quebec they 
received the remaining part along with a ticket for 
the grant of land allowed them by Government, — 
Some were prevented by disease from proceeding 
farther ; many delayed setting out from day to 
until their means became exhausted when they were 
unable to reach their destination; while others com- 
menced a scene of riotous living which lasted until 



270 

all their money was expended, and themselves brought 
to the verge of the grave. It is thus seen that few, 
ever reached or took possession of the land allotted 
them. 

In my next letter I shall endeavour to show, that 
even had they proceeded directly and taken posses- 
sion of their lots, a great many of them would have 
been nothing benefited thereby. 
Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner, 



LETTER LIX. 

My Dear Friend, 

In my last, I stated that even supposing the 
pensioners had proceeded without delay to their 
allotted farms, very few of them would have bettered 
their condition. This, I think, can scarcely be 
denied, when the following facts are taken into con- 
sideration. Few of them had ever been accustomed 
to agricultural pursuits, or knew anything at all about 
the nature of the soil, which rendered them totally 
incapable of managing or cultivating a farm ; and, it 
must also be remembered, that they were all more or 
less disabled by wounds, and not a few of them had 
descended far into the vale of years, and therefore ill 
qualified to sustain the necessary labour upon a 



271 

cleared farm, much less to undergo the fatigue and 
privations consequent upon reclaiming the wilderness 
of woods, in which their lands were located. Upon 
the whole, the transaction has been a most unfor- 
tunate and a very losing one for the poor pensioners; 
and it is deeply to be regretted that Government 
ever put such a temptation in their way, and induced 
them to give up an income which would have proved 
a source of comfort to them when unable longer to 
work for their living ; and that too for such an 
inadequate compensation. I cannot leave this sub- 
ject without expressing a hope, that were the matter 
properly represented, Government would yet be 
induced to restore the few survivers of the commuted 
pensioners once more to the pension list. In doing 
so Government would be no losers, as six years 
have now nearly elapsed since the transaction was 
entered into, so that both principal and interest of 
the advance must have been by this time repaid; and 
the lands I believe, are in almost every case unsettled 
upon and in their original state. 

Agreeably to the resolution I expressed in my last 
letter, I continued to reside in Montreal, working at 
my trade for the support of myself and family, and 
although I came to the city a total stranger, and 
unacquainted with any individual residing in it, yet I 
was fortunate enough, in a very short time, to procure 
sufficient employment to enable me to maintain them 
comfortably. 

The season after my arrival in Canada, I de- 



272 

termined to take a trip and visit the part of the 
country in which my land was located, with the inten- 
tion, if upon inspection I found it suitable for me, to 
settle myself there and remove my family from Mon- 
treal. The land allotted me was in a back conces- 
sion of the Township of Wentworth, situated upon 
the Ottawa river. Having made up my mind to take 
the excursion, I embarked on board a steamboat at 
Lachine, and in due time was landed at Carillon, 
from whence I proceeded on foot to view my intended 
place of abode. A very cursory glance at the situa- 
tion served to convince me of the impracticability of 
my scheme of settling there, the lot was literally a 
wilderness without a human habitation near it. It 
would indeed have been the height of folly in me, 
unaccustomed as I had long been with country work, 
being disabled from wounds, and somewhat past the 
prime of life, to have taken up my residence in such 
a situation. I, therefore, came to the conclusion to 
return to Montreal, and discard from my mind the 
idea of deriving any benefit from my land. I 
retraced my steps to Carrillon and once more em- 
barked on board the steamboat on my way back. — 
The then Governor General, Lord Aylmer was, with 
his suite, on board the same boat, and he observing 
me to have the appearance of an old soldier put the 
question to me, if I had not served in the army. I 
answered his Lordship in the affirmative, and that I 
had received a pension ; but commuted it and was 
just returning from examining my lot of land, from 



273 

which I found that I could derive no benefit what- 
ever. His Lordship told me that I had acted a very 
foolish part in commuting my pension, and observed, 
that it was unfortunate that it had ever been put into 
the power of pensioners to do so, and said that he 
would use all his influence to have the few remain- 
ing commuted pensioners restored to their former 
situation. 

I returned to Montreal, and have continued to re- 
side there until the present time. At the breaking 
out of the disturbances last Fall, I again took up 
arms in defence of my country, and joined Lieut. - 
Colonel Maitland's Battalion of Volunteers, in which 
I am a serjeant, and have been employed during the 
winter in assisting to drill one of the companies. 

Yours, &c. 

The Commuted Pensioner. 



APPENDIX. 



APPENDIX. 



INDIA. 



"India forms unquestionably one of the most remarkable 
regions that exist on the surface of the globe. The varied 
grandeur of its scenery, with the rich and copious produc- 
tions of its soil, are not equalled in any other country. It 
is also extremely probable, that it was, if not the first, at 
least one of the earliest seats of civilization, laws, arts, and 
of all the improvements of social life. These, it is true, 
have at no period attained to the same pitch of advance- 
ment as among Europeans ; but they have, nevertheless 
been developed in very original and peculiar forms, dis- 
playing human nature under the most striking and singular 
aspects. 

" The strong interest which India in itself is thus cal- 
culated to excite, must to us be greatly heightened by the 
consideration of its having become so completely a province 
of the British empire. The government of Great Britain 
now directs the fortunes of a hundred millions of people 
placed at the opposite extremity of the globe ; and hence 
the well-being of the state is intimately suspended on that 
of this vast dependency. The connexion, too, is peculiarly 



278 

strengthened by the great number of British subjects who 
are constantly going out to administer the affairs of that 
important colony. Closer personal ties, in many instances, 
are thereby formed with our eastern settlements than with 
the different provinces of Britain itself. 

" India is enclosed by very grand natural boundaries.— 
Its whole northern frontier is separated from the high 
table-land of Thibet by the chain of the Himmaleh 
Mountains, which, by recent observation, appears to reach 
at least as great a height as any other ridge by which the 
globe is traversed. The western and eastern limits are 
formed by the lower course of two great rivers, — the Indus 
on one side, and the Brahmapoutra on the other. The 
southern portion consists of a very extensive peninsula sur- 
rounded by the Ocean. Within these limits, we shall 
find a religion, languages, manners, and institutions, char- 
acteristic of this region, and distinguishing it from all the 
other countries of Asia. 

" India, thus denned, though some of its extremities 
have not been very precisely determined, may be described 
generally as lying between the 8th and 34th degrees of 
north latitude, and the 68th and 92d of east longtitude. — 
It thus extends somewhat above 1800 miles from north to 
south, and at its greatest breadth nearly 1500 from east to 
west. 

" India is, as it were, an epitome of the whole earth. It 
has regions that bask beneath the brightest rays of a tro- 
pical sun, and others, than which the most awful depths of 
the Polar world are not more dreary. The varying de- 
grees of elevation produce here the same changes that arise 
elsewhere from the greatest difference of position on the 
earth's surface. Its vast plains present the double har- 
vests, the luxuriant foliage, and even the burning deserts 



279 

of the torrid zone ; the lower heights are enriched by the 
fruits and grains of the temperate climates ; the upper 
steeps are clothed with the vast pine forests of the north ; 
while the highest pinnacles are buried beneath the per- 
petual snows of the Arctic zone. We do not in India, as 
in Africa and the Polar Regions, see nature under one 
uniform aspect ; we have to trace her gradual, yet rapid 
transitions, between the most opposite extremes that can 
exist on the surface of the same planet. 

" The main body, as it were, of India, the chief scene of 
her matchless fertility, and the seat of her great empires, is 
composed of a plain extending along its entire breadth 
from east to west, between the Brahmapoutra and the In- 
dus ; and reaching across from the great chain of moun- 
tains to the high table-land of the Southern Peninsula. It 
may thus possess a length of 1500 miles, with an average 
breadth of from 800 to 400. The line of direction is 
generally from south-east to north-west, following that of 
the vast mountain-range which bounds it on the north, and 
from whose copious streams its fruitfulness is derived. — 
With the exception, perhaps, of the country watered by 
the great river of China, it may be considered the finest 
and most fertile on the face of the earth. 

" Of this general character of the Indian plain, the pro- 
vince of Bengal presents the most complete and striking 
example. Its wide surface is not diversified with a rock, 
or even a hillock. The Ganges pours through it a con- 
tinually widening stream, which, during the rainy season, 
covers a great extent with its fertilizing inundation. From 
this deep, rich, well-watered soil, the sun, beating with 
direct and intense rays, calls forth an almost unrivalled 
power of vegetation, and makes it one entire field of wav- 
ing grain. Bahar, higher up the current, has the same 



280 

general aspect, though its surface is varied by some slight 
elevations; but Allahabad, higher still, is mostly low, 
warm, and fruitful, exactly like Bengal. North of the 
river the provinces of Oude and Rohilcund, sloping gra- 
dually upwards to the mountains, enjoy a more cool and 
salubrious climate, and display in profusion the most valu- 
able products, both of Asia and Europe. Here the val- 
ley of the Ganges terminates, and is succeeded by that of 
the Jumna, more elevated, and neither so well watered 
nor quite so fertile. The Doab, or territory between the 
two rivers, cannot be made very productive without artifi- 
cial irrigation. 

" In spite, however, of every human effort, some tracts 
are left uncultivated in consequence of political disorder 
and misrule ; while, in others, nature, under the combined 
influence of moisture and heat, makes efforts so powerful 
as to baffle all attempts to modify or control them. She 
then riots in unbounded luxuriance, and covers large tracts 
with that dense, dark, impenetrable mass of foliage and 
vegetation, crowded and twined together, which is called 
jungle, and which opposes an almost impassable barrier 
even to an army. Trees spreading on every side their gi- 
gantic arms, — thorny and prickly shrubs of every size and 
shape, — canes shooting in a few months to the height of 
sixty feet,- — compose the chief materials of those close na- 
tural palisades. Even in the open plain, the banian and 
other single trees, when full scope is given to their growth, 
spread out into the dimensions of a considerable forest. 

" From the cultivated regions the various classes of wild 
beasts are excluded with the utmost solicitude. Even the 
domestic species are not reared in great numbers, nor to 
any remarkable size or strength. There is a small cow 
with a hump, fit only for draught, but which the Hindoo 



281 

regards as a sacred object. Light active steeds are bred 
by the natives for predatory excursions ; while for regular 
military service the large and strong Turkish horse is pre- 
ferred. But, on the other hand, the wooded tracts, where 
nature revels uncontrolled, are filled with huge and dis- 
tructive animals. The two most remarkable quadrupeds 
are the elephant and the tiger. These two mighty ani- 
mals are brought into conflict in the Indian hunts. The 
elephant is then used as an instrument for attacking his 
fiercer but less vigorous rival. The hunter, well armed, is 
seated on the back of this huge animal ; and, in the first 
advance, the whole body of the assailants are ranged in a 
line. When the combat commences, the elephant endea- 
vours either to tread down the tiger with his hoof, crush- 
ing him with the whole weight of his immense body, or he 
assails him with his long and powerful tusks. Whenever 
either of these movements can be fully accomplished, the 
effect is irresistible ; but the tiger, by his agility, and es- 
pecially by his rapid spring resembling the flight of an ar- 
row, often succeeds in fastening upon the legs and sides of 
his unwieldy adversary, and inflicts deep wounds while the 
latter is unable either to resist or to retaliate. Even the 
rider, notwithstanding his elevated seat and the use of arms, 
is not on such occasions wholly exempt from danger. 

" Immediately westward of the Jumna, the general level 
of the country attains a point of elevation, whence it de- 
scends on both sides ; and all the rivers, flowing from the 
high mountain-range, roll either eastward and become tri- 
butary to the Ganges, or westward to pour their waters 
into the Indus. Between these two rivers and .their res- 
pective branches there intervenes a considerable space, 
which is refreshed only by a few small rivulets that sprint 
up and disappear amid the waste. Thus is formetl a 



282 

desert, of extent sufficient to compose a mighty kingdom, 
and occupying the whole breadth in that direction, from 
the mountains to the ocean. This entire region, about 
600 miles long and 300 broad, presents an aspect nearly 
similar to the most dreary tracts of Arabia and Africa. 
According to the observations of Mr Elphinston, who cross- 
ed it in his way to Cabul, the eastern division consists of 
sand heaped often into hills of surprising elevation, and so 
loose that, whenever the horses quitted the path hardened 
by beating, they sunk above the knee. Over this wilder- 
ness, however, is scattered some coarse grass, with stunted 
and prickly shrubs ; while in the midst of the sand there 
grow large water-melons, affording the most delicious re- 
freshment to the thirsty traveller. At wide intervals are 
found villages, or rather clusters of mud huts, round which 
are reared crops of coarse grain and pulse, whose stalks, 
like shrubs, stand distinctly separate from each other. Yet 
a considerable population must be sprinkled over this im- 
mense desert, since Bikaneer, in its centre, presents, though 
on a small scale, the aspect of a city adorned with palaces, 
temples, and other spacious edifices. Westward of that 
town the soil is generally a hard clay, variegated only by 
mounds of sand. Poogul, a village of straw huts, defended 
by a ruinous mud fort, encompassed with naked hills, and 
amid a sea of sand without a trace of vegetation, appeared 
a spot so desolate that it seemed astonishing how any 
human beings could make it their abode. On the more 
smooth and level portions of this dreary tract the travel- 
ler is tantalized by the phenomenon of mirage, produ- 
cing before him the appearance of immense lakes that 
even reflect the surrounding objects; and the illusion con- 
tinues till he has almost touched the watery semblance, and 
finds it to consist of the same arid soil as the rest of the 



283 

desert. North of this great plain of India, and along its 
whole extent, towers the mountain-region of the Himma- 
leh, acsending gradually till it terminates in a long range 
of summits wrapped in perpetual snow. 

" The Himmaleh range, where it touches on the cham- 
paign country, is almost every where girt with a peculiar 
belt or border, called the Tarryani. This term is applied 
to a plain about twenty miles broad, upon which the wa- 
ters from the higher regions are poured down in such 
profusion that the river-beds are unable to contain them. 
They accordingly overflow, and convert the ground into a 
species of swamp, which, acted on by the burning rays of a 
tropical sun, throws up an excessively rank vegetation, 
whereby the earth is choked rather than covered. The 
soil is concealed beneath a mass of dark and dismal foliage, 
while long grass and prickly shrubs shoot up so dense and 
so close as to form an almost impenetrable barrier. It is 
still more awfully guarded by the pestilential vapours ex- 
haling from those dark recesses, which make it, at certain 
seasons, a region of death. Hence the destruction which 
overtakes an army that encamps for any length of time 
near this fatal valley, — an effect fatally experienced by the 
British detachments which were stationed on the frontiers 
of Bootan and Nepoul. Beneath these gloomy shades, 
too, the elephant, the tiger, and other wild animals, prowl 
unmolested ; while the few human beings who occupy the 
vicinity present a meagre, dwarfish, and most sickly aspect. 

In emerging from this dark and pestilential plain, and 
beginning to ascend the lower mountain-stages, a much 
more pleasing scene opens to the view. The observer 
passes through smiling and fruitful valleys, overhung by 
romantic steeps, and covered to a great extent with the 
noblest forests. Amongst which are various species of 



284 

the more hardy oak and the pine, beside trees possessing 
rich juices and aromatic odours not found among the lower 
woods; as, that mimosa, the fluid extracted from which 
yields the medical substance called catechu, and a species 
of cinnamon or rather cassia, the virtue of which resides 
in its root. The views obtained from commanding points 
in these regions, consisting in a foreground of smiling and 
cultured vales, hills behind crowned with natural planta- 
tions, steeper and loftier ranges beyond, and in the distance 
the snow-clad pinnacles of the highest mountain-chain, form 
a combination of the most sublime and enchanting scenery. 
" The Himmaleh, as it ascends above the picturesque 
regions which diversify its lower border, assumes a much 
bolder and severer aspect. The lofty ridge, the deep valley 
the dashing torrent, produce a resemblance to the most 
elevated portions of our own central Highlands. A 
laborious task is imposed on the traveller, who has suc- 
cessively to mount and descend this series of lofty terraces, 
along rough and narrow paths that often skirt the most 
tremendous precipices. The expedients, too, provided 
for the passage of the rivers which dash through these 
gloomy hollows, are of the most slender and imperfect 
descriptions. Two planks fastened to the point of opposite 
cliffs, called a sanga or sankha, are, in many cases, consid- 
ered amply sufficient; others, called jhulas, are formed by 
ropes stretched across, making a species of loose parapet, 
and supporting a light ladder for the feet to rest upon. 
Mr Webb met with an instance where there were merely 
stretched from bank to bank two or three ropes, round 
which the passenger was expected to coil himself, and work 
his way across, having a hoop for the back to rest upon ; 
thosB who could not effect this movement were pulled across 
by a cord. 



285 

" In consequence of this peculiar structure, these loftier 
regions of the Himmaleh do not present that tranquil 
grandeur, and those picturesque views, which render the 
mountain-scenery of Europe so enchanting. They are 
rugged, gloomy, and monotonous. The mighty summits 
overhang no soft pastoral valleys, nor wave with varied 
foliage, nor are reflected in the bosom of still and trans- 
parent lakes. The traveller, hemmed in between their 
steep precipices, sees only the dark grandeur of the chasm 
through which he winds. Sometimes, however, on reach- 
ing a high pinnacle, he finds himself in possession of a 
prospect bearing a character of the most awful sublimity. 
A spot, raised almost to an immeasurable height above the 
plain beneath, proves only the base, whence seven or eight 
successive ranges tower towards heaven, and terminate at 
length in a line of snowy pinnacles. 

"From causes that seem somewhat mysterious, the south- 
ern slopes of these mountains are generally smooth and 
rather naked, while the northern faces are shattered and 
rocky, yet covered with vast masses of hanging wood. 
Amid these wilds, tall and majestic forests of pine, larch, 
spruce, and silver fir, sometimes even of cypress and cedar, 
grow, flourish, and decay, useless and unappropriated. 
There are no means of conveying the timber to any spot 
where it can be subservient to human use or ornament. 
With these trees are intermingled numerous bushes loaded 
with the fruit which forms the luxury of the northern 
regions of Europe; gooseberry, raspberry, strawberry, all 
unknown to the plains below. In sheltered and favourable 
spots, the wild rose, the lily of the valley, cowslip, dande- 
lion, and various other flowers, are seen bursting through 
the green carpet. The trees and rocks in the higher dis- 
tricts are richly clothed with moss and lichen, the vegeta- 



286 

tion of the countries bordering on the Arctic Circle; a 
lichen has even been observed resembling that which 
flourishes in Iceland, and which is imported for medicinal 
purposes under the name of Iceland moss. 

" The animal world in this higher region undergoes a 
change equally striking. The elephant and tiger, the kings 
of the forests beneath, disappear, or are very seldom seen. 
Cattle and horses do not find a sufficient extent of level 
pasture; and hence sheep and goats are the animals chiefly 
reared for uses of domestic life. Depredations are chiefly 
committed by the wild cat, the bear, and the hog. The 
chamois bounds from rock to rock, and the forests are 
filled with deer of various species ; of which the most rare 
and precious is that producing the musk. It is found only 
in the most lofty and inaccessible heights, amid rocks and 
forests which the human foot scarcely dares to tread. The 
most intense cold is so essential to its life, that the young, 
on being brought down to a warm situation, uniformly 
perish in a few da} r s. The forests in all the more moderate 
heights are filled with flocks of such fowls as are elsewhere 
domesticated, here running about wild, tempting the pur- 
suit of the sportsman ; but, as they very seldom take wing, 
they are with difficulty reached by the gun. The peacock 
displays his glittering plumage only on the lower hills. 
The sovereign eagle is seldom descried amid the cliffs, 
which are inhabited by kites, hawks, and others of the 
minor predatory birds. Partridges and pheasants are nu- 
merous and of various species; the latter are even seen 
flying amid the snows at a great elevation. Bees swarm 
in all the lower districts, making their hives in the hollows 
of trees ; these the natives plunder by merely raising a 
loud noise, which causes the swarm to issue forth and leave 
the honey unprotected. A late traveller has enabled us 



287 

to form some idea of the leading features which distinguish 
the valleys of the Sutledge, the Pabur, the Jumna, and 
the Bagiruttee, or principal head of the Ganges. 

" The glen of the Sutledge is little more than a profound 
and gloomy chasm, naked and precipitous, without the 
romantic beauty produced by swelling banks or fringing 
wood. The Pabur, a tributary of the Jumna, presents a 
pleasing variety compared to this or to any other ravine of 
the Himmaleh. It rolls through a vale of moderate breadth; 
its banks and the slopes above are beautifully studded with 
fields, woods, and villages; while brown hills, tipped with 
rocks and snow, tower in the background. — The Jumna, 
again, has its borders generally bold, savage, and imprac- 
ticable; all its higher tracts, too, consist of mighty rocks 
and precipices buried under huge masses of snow. Yet 
the lower grounds are wooded; and along the river are 
seen some green Harrow vales, rising into slopes covered 
with cultivation and verdure, which diversify even its wild- 
est scenes with a mixture of softness and elegance. — The 
banks of the Bagiruttee, a broader stream, which has worn 
a still deeper bed through the mountain-strata, are beyond 
all others repulsive, and equally destitute of beauty and 
life. These solitary steeps are only scantily clothed with 
the foliage of the sombre fir; the cliffs, shattered and 
splintered, are not even tinted with moss or lichen, but, 
bearing the dusky colours of their natural fracture, shoot 
up on every side into pinnacles of amazing height. But, 
notwithstanding the gloomy and uninviting aspect of these 
mountain-scenes, there are a few places in which they 
open out into smiling and cultivated plains of considerable 
extent. 

" Beyond a succession of lofty eminences is seen tower- 
ing, amid perpetual snows, the central mass of this enor- 



288 

mous chain of mountains. It has been estimated to ex- 
tend more than a thousand miles in length, and about 
eighty in breadth, forming one continuous desert of preci- 
pices, rocks, and ice. In a few places only, a precarious 
track is formed by the Alpine torrent, dashing in an un- 
broken sheet of foam, through dark ravines, bordered by 
precipitous mountain-walls ascending above the clouds. 
Down the perpendicular faces of these stupendous avenues 
there rain almost continual showers of stony fragments, 
broken off and descending in ruins from the cliffs above. 
Sometimes large portions of rock are detached, and roll 
down in heaps, effacing every path which has been formed 
beneath, filling the beds of the rivers, and converting 
them into cataracts. The whole side of a mountain has 
been seen thus parted, and spread in fragments at its feet. 
Trees torn up and precipitated into the abyss, lie stretched 
with their branches on the earth, and their roots turned 
up to the sky. Yet through these tremendous passes, and 
across all these mighty obstructions, the daring industry 
of mortals has contrived to form tracks, narrow indeed, as 
well as fearful and perilous, but by means of which Thibet 
and India find it possible to exchange their respective 
commodities. Nothing, it is true, resembling a waggon 
not even the ordinary beasts of burden, can pass this way. 
The goods are placed on the backs of goats and sheep, 
which alone can scramble along these precipitous routes 
though, in other respects, these animals are ill fitted for 
s uch laborious employments. Goats, in descending, are 
often pressed down by the load, while sheep, if at all 
urged, are very apt to run, — a movement which is here 
attended with the utmost peril. 

" The arrangements for facilitating a passage over these 
frightful cliffs are still more perilous than those employed 



289 

on the lower declivities. Rude staircases are constructed 
along the precipices, by which the traveller is invited to 
make his way. The road in some places is formed merely 
by posts driven into the perpendicular sides of the steep, 
over which branches of trees and earth are spread, afford- 
ing a narrow footpath, suspended at an awful height above 
the torrent, and shaking beneath the tread of the passenger. 

Amid these awful scenes there are two spots peculiarly 
sacred and sublime; those, namely, where the Jumna and 
the Ganges, the two rivers destined to give grandeur and 
fertility to the plain of Indostan, burst from beneath the 
eternal snows. No mortal foot has yet ascended to their 
original springs, situated in the most elevated recesses of 
the mountains. There they issue forth as torrents, amid 
broken masses of granite, to force their way through the 
deep glens of the middle Himmaleh. Above them, huge 
piles of rock and heaps of snow rise higher and higher, 
till they shoot up into the two amazing peaks of Roodroo 
Himala and Jumnavatari. 

" The mountain-scenery which surrounds Gangoutri, 
where the infant Ganges bursts into view, is still more 
sublime and amazing. The traveller winds his way to 
this place, clambering over steep rocks, or creeping along 
the face of precipices, where flights of steps are formed 
by posts driven into the crevices. At length he reaches 
the village, consisting only of a few huts and the temple 
dedicated to Mahadeo. Here the naked and pointed 
cliffs, shooting up to the skies, with confused masses of 
rock lying at their feet, and only a few trees rooting them- 
selves in the deep chasms, make the spectator feel as if he 
trode on the ruins of a former world. Vast shattered 
precipices, which frown over the temple, have strewn the 
vicinity with enormous fragments of granite, destined 



290 

probably one day to overwhelm the edifice itself. A few 
old pines throw a dark shade over the troubled waters, 
whose roar is heard beneath, mingled with the stifled but 
fearful sound of the stones borne down by the current. 
Rocky heights shut in the prospect on every side except 
towards the east, where, behind a crowd of naked spires, 
the view is bounded by the four snowy peaks of Roodroo 
Himala. 

u The place above mentioned, with the lower shrines of 
Bhadrinath and Kedarnath, and generally the whole of this 
region, possess a peculiarly sacred character in the eyes of 
the Hindoo, the scene of many of the most remarkable 
fictions in his wildly-poetical mythology. They are es- 
teemed the chosen dwelling of Siva or Mahadeo, the third 
personage in the Hindoo trinity, who, in withdrawing from 
Lunka or Ceylon, threw up, it is pretended, the Himma- 
leh as his place of retreat. Dewtas or spirits are ima- 
gined to haunt the most inaccessible glens, and by feigned 
sounds to allure the unfortunate passenger into their re- 
cesses, whence he never returns to the living world. Pil- 
grimage, the favourite form of Hindoo devotion, is most 
frequently performed into these mysterious solitudes, where 
many, however, in attempting to penetrate by the rugged 
paths buried in snow, either perish, or lose partially the 
use of their limbs. The perilous obstacles which bar the 
approach to Gangoutri, deter the greater number of the 
devotees, who ascend from the great fair at Hurdwar, 
from proceeding beyond the lower shrine of Bhadrinath. 

" The Deccan or Southern Peninsula, presents none of 
those singular features that distinguish the great central 
plain and its grand northern boundary. Hills occasionally 
rising to the rank of mountains, and enclosing table-lands 
pi various elevation, diversify its surface, and secure for ft 



291 

at once the climate and vegetation of the tropical and of 
the temperate zones. The most prominent features is a 
range of heights corresponding to the triangular form of 
the peninsula. The northern border consists in a tract of 
high country stretching across India from the Gulf of 
Cambay to the Bay of Bengal, chiefly along both banks 
of the Nerbudda, and composing the provinces of Malwa, 
Candeish, and Gundwana, to which has been given the 
appellation of Central India. From its extremities extend 
two parallel chains, called the Gates or Ghauts, which, 
at a greater or less distance, girdle the whole of the op- 
posite coasts of Malabar and Coromandel. The Western 
Ghauts, which range along the Indian Ocean, are placed 
generally at a small distance from the sea, and sometimes 
approach so close that their cliffs are washed by its waves. 
More commonly removed from the shore ten or twelve 
miles, they are seen to rear their peaks, which are crowned, 
not like those of the Himmaleh, with the trees of the 
temperate or arctic zones, but with the stately palms and 
aromatic shrubs which form the pride of tropical groves. 
The most valuable of these productions are the plant or 
vine bearing the pepper, — the betel, whose leaves are the 
universal masticatory in India, — -the areca-palm, whose 
nut is chewed along with the betel, — the sago-palm, 
whence flows a rich and nourishing juice, — the cocoa-palm, 
so famed for its numerous and important uses. Higher 
than them all towers the teak-tree, whose timber, stronger 
and more durable than that of the British oak, forms the 
material of oriental navies. 

" The Eastern Ghauts, rising behind the Coromandel 
coast, are generally of a less lofcy and rugged description, 
and leave a broader plain between them and the sea; yet, 
unless in the Deltas of the great rivers, this plain bears 



292 

somewhat of a naked and arid character. There occur 
even extensive tracts of sandy soil impregnated with saline 
substances, with which the atmosphere is in some degree 
tainted. More to the north, in Orisso and the Circars, 
the high grounds often closely approach the sea, and con- 
sist to a great extent of mountain and jungle, continuing 
in a more uncultivated state, and peopled by more uncivi- 
lized races, than almost any other part of India. 

" These three ranges enclose a high table-land, eleva- 
ted from two to four thousand feet above the level of the 
sea, and comprising the main body of Southern India. 
The south-western tract, the original seat of Mahratta 
power, forms a hilly country, not extremely rugged, but 
interspersed with deep valleys. It bears a decidedly high- 
land character, fitted for the residence of a pastoral people 
of warlike and predatory habits. The central region, 
composing the once powerful kingdoms of Golconda and 
Bejapore, comprises extensive plains, secured by their ele- 
vation from the scorching heats which afflict the territory 
along the coast. The surface is generally level, and pos- 
sesses much fertility, though diversified by those remark- 
able insulated steeps which form the almost impregnable 
hill-forts of India. The extreme southern district, called 
the Carnatic, is divided into two table-lands, the Balag- 
haut and the Mysore, more elevated and rugged than 
those of the Deccan, and on that account including a 
greater variety of climate, soil, and production. 

" The mountain-scenery of Southern India in general, 
though wanting those features which invest the Himmaleh 
with so awful and sublime a character, is beautifully, strik- 
ing, and picturesque. It is more on the scale of that of 
Wales and Scotland, — with this peculiarity, that it never 
rises above the limit of the richest vegetation, and has its 



293 

highest summits crowned with woods and verdure. The 
greater part is under cultivation; though there is distribu- 
ted over it a considerable portion of jungle, rock, forest* 
and even of sandy waste. 

" The national and political condition of the different 
regions of India varies strikingly according to the pecu- 
liarities in their physical circumstances. The great cen- 
tral plain, for example, has generally from the earliest 
ages, been the seat of an empire whose greatness and 
splendour have eclipsed those of almost every other coun- 
try. Some detached portions, as Bengal in the east, and 
the Punjaub in the west, have been frequently separated 
from the main body, but, under a vigorous and warlike 
dynasty, they have been as often reunited. It might have 
been expected that India, separated from other countries 
by a vast ocean and the loftiest mountain-barrier on earth, 
would have been secured from ail except internal agitation ; 
but nothing could arrest the progress of the avarice and 
ambition which were attracted by the fame of her wealth 
and splendour. That ocean has been passed, — those 
mountain-barriers have been scaled, — and India has for 
ages groaned, and continues to groan without hope of de- 
liverance, under a foreign yoke." 



294 

MADEIRA See Letter II, p. 5. 

"This island, in the Atlantic Ocean, 54 miles long and 20 
broad, and 250 N. by E. of Teneriff — Capital Funchal — 
was discovered by the Portuguese in 1419, and being 
uninhabited and covered with wood received the name of 
Madeira. The next year a colony was settled on the 
island by Prince Henry, who not only furnished it with the 
plants and domestic animals common in Europe, but pro- 
cured slips of the vine from Cyprus, and plants of the 
sugar-cane from Sicily ; and in the commerce of Portugal, 
the sugar and wine of Madeira very soon became articles 
of considerable importance. The sugar-works have been 
removed; but its wine is now held in the highest estima- 
tion, especially after having been a voyage to the East or 
West Indies. The scorching heat of summer and the icy 
chill of winter are here unknown ; for spring and autumn 
reign continually, and produce flowers and fruits through- 
out the year. The cedar tree is found in abundance, and 
the dragon tree is a native of the island. Flowers nursed 
in the English green-houses grow wild in the fields — the 
hedges are in most instances formed of the myrtle, rose, 
jasmine, and honeysuckle — and the larkspur, fleur-de-lis, 
lupin, &c. spring up spontaneously in the meadows. Rep- 
tiles are few in number, of which the lizard is the most 
common ; while the canary and the gold-finch are found in 
the mountains. The hog too range wild among the moun- 
tains, where they are hunted and caught by the dog, the 
flesh of which is much relished by the inhabitants. Salted 
cod is the chief food of the poor, which is imported from 
America. Madeira is well watered and populous." 



295 



BOMBAY See Letter II, p. 6. 

" Bombay is an island, situated on the west coast of the 
deccan of Indostan, 7 miles in length, and 20 in circum- 
ference. At the marriage of the Infanta Catherine to 
Charles II. it was ceded to the English as part of her 
marriage dowry. Some misunderstanding arose as to 
the extent of this grant, the English conceiving it to in- 
clude Salsette and other dependencies ; while the Portu- 
guese chose to view it as not extending beyond the bare 
precints of the island, — in which last interpretation Britain 
was finally obliged to acquiesce. Thus the crown acquired 
for the first time a territorial possession in India ; which, 
however, did not yield revenue sufficient to defray its ex- 
penses. In 1668, the government made over the entire 
sovereignty to the East India Company, who, in 1687, 
transferred thither from Surat the presidency over their 
other settlements; and Bombay has ever since continued 
the capital of all their possessions on that side of Indostan. 
It contains a strong and capacious fortress, a city, dockyard, 
and marine arsenal. Some of the finest merchant ships are 
built here all of teak, supplied from the neighbouring 
countries, and which is allowed to be much superior to 
the English oak for that purpose. In 1810, the Minden, 
74 gun-ship, was launched, having been built under the 
superintendence of a Persee. The ground is in general 
barren, and good water scarce ; but it has abundance of 
cocoa-nuts, and its markets are well supplied with every 
delicacy. The population of the territory of Bombay is 
estimated at 225,000, three-fourths of which are Hindoos, 
the remainder Mahometans, Armenians, and Jew T s, and 
about 8000 Persees or fire worshippers, (for a full account 



296 

of which, see Letter III. p. 8.) The city of Bombay next 
to Calcutta, may be considered the most commercial place 
in all Indostan; its interchange with China is very great, 
the export of cotton sometimes amounting to 350,000 bales 
per annum." It is much resorted to by traders from Persia, 
Arabia, Abyssinia, Armenia, and all parts of western Asia, 
as well as from most of the islands of the Indian Ocean, 
and all the eastern parts of Asia, and the commercial 
transactions are conducted with more integrity than is 
usual in Asiatic cities. It is about 180 miles south of Su- 
rat, and 1800 west by south of Calcutta. The lighthouse, 
which is a very prominent object, and visible for 20 miles 
out at sea, is in lat. 18. 53. N. and 72. 53. E. Ion." 



TANNA.— See Letter V. p. 12. 

"Tanna, the capital of the island of Salsette, 15 miles 
north east of Bombay, from which it is separated by a 
a narrow channel, across which a causeway was carried 
in 1805j which has much benefited the island. This 
island is about 15 miles square, and is fertile in rice, fruits, 
and sugar-canes. It has subterraneous temples cut out 
of the rock, in the manner of those of Elephanta. In 1773 
the English conquered it from the Mahrattas; and it has 
proved a valuable acquisition to Bombay, which formerly 
depended on foreign supplies for its subsistence." 



297 



GO A.— See Letter VIII. j>. 21. 

u This town is situated upon an island twenty-three miles 
in circuit, if island it may be called, which is separated 
from the land only by a salt-marsh fordable in many pla- 
ces. The surface is fertile, diversified by little hills and 
valleys, and almost sufficient of itself to supply a great city 
with every necessary of life. The surrounding territory, 
called Canara, forms the seacoast of the Deccan. It had 
been conquered by the Mogul, and annexed to the domin- 
ions of Delhi; but, in the distracted state of that empire, 
several independent kingdoms had arisen in the south, 
among which Narsinga, with its capital of Bisnagar, set 
the example, although the sovereign of Goa, called the 
zabaim, was the most powerful of these rulers. Timoia, 
(an Indian pirate) however, gave notice that this prince, 
being occupied in war with several states of the interior, 
had left his capital almost unprotected. Albuquerque 
readily embracing this suggestion, hastily assembled an 
expedition, and, in conjunction with his guide, arrived off 
Goa on the 25th February, 1510. Several of the forts 
which defended the approaches having been taken, and 
the Portuguese fleet brought up close to the walls, the 
citizens, who were chiefly persons connected with trade, 
began seriously to ponder the consequences were the place 
to be taken by storm, especially by an enemy whose deeds 
of mercy had never been conspicuous. They sent, there- 
fore, a deputation, composed principally of merchants, who 
privately intimated that the Portuguese commander might 
obtain admission on certain conditions, including full pro- 
tection to commerce and private property. Albuquerque 
granted these terms, and was immediately put in possession 



298 

©f Goa. He fulfilled his stipulations in the strictest man- 
ner, adopting every measure calculated to preserve order 
and prosperity, and even continuing many of the natives 
in their civil employments. Having occupied the palace 
of the zabaim, he assumed at once the character of a great 
eastern potentate; sending an embassy to the King of 
Narsinga, and receiving, in the most gracious manner, 
those of Persia and Ormuz, who were then on a mission 
to the sovereign of Goa. But he soon found himself by 
no means in the secure and agreeable position he at first 
imagined. The zabaim, on hearing that his capital was in 
the possession of those hated foreign invaders, roused all his 
energies, and disregarded every object in comparison with 
their immediate expulsion. He at once concluded peace 
with his enemies, several of whom made common cause 
with him against this powerful adversary ; and an army of 
npwards of 40,000 men began its march under his direc- 
tion. Albuquerque undauntedly viewed its advance, though 
combined with an internal danger perhaps still more for- 
midable. In this distant service, the spirit of discipline 
was not easily maintained, and both men and officers had 
acquired a habit of criticising the proceedings of their 
general. There arose a numerous party, who argued, that 
with so small a number of troops, and without any prospect 
of reinforcement, it was madness to attempt making head 
against the numerous force now approaching, surrounded 
by a population generally hostile, and in the heart of an 
immense city, whose inhabitants watched for an opportu- 
nity of aiding in their destruction. These fears and reason- 
ings were by no means without foundation ; but the lofty 
spirit of Albuquerque indignantly repelled the idea of 
tamely quitting so magnificent a prize. A faction of nine 
hundred Portuguese insisted that so brave an army ought 



299 

not to be sacrificed to the obstinacy of one man, and be- 
gan to form plots for wresting the power from their com- 
mander, and carrying into effect their own counsels. But 
having traced this plot to its origin, he surprised the con- 
spirators at a secret meeting, and threw the ringleaders into 
prison. The remainder sued for pardon, which he could 
not well refuse, being unable to want the services of any 
of his small number of troops ; they were, therefore, with 
a very few exceptions, restored to their employments. 

The zabaim meantime advanced upon the city. The 
chief hope of Albuquerque depended upon his success in 
defending the approaches to the island; but the channel 
separating it from the mainland was so narrow, and in 
many places so shallow, that it presented by no means an 
insuperable obstacle. He stationed chosen troops at all 
the exposed points, covering them with walls and intrench- 
ments. The zabaim, completely baffled in his first attempts 
had almost resigned himself to despair; but he at length 
bethought himself of a nocturnal attack, favoured by the 
monsoon. The night of the 17th May being dark and 
stormy, two large bodies advanced at different points, and 
though unable to surprise the Portuguese, succeeded in 
forcing their way into the island. The whole army was 
soon transported over, and commenced operations against 
the city. Albuquerque stood his ground with his charac- 
teristic firmness: hut as the enemy was aided by repeated 
risings within the vails, while his own officers took occa- 
sion to renew their remonstrances as to the untenable na- 
ture of this ne- ^session, he found at last no alternative 
but to retire into the fort, whence, by means of the river, 
on which it was situated, he could still communicate with 
the fleet. But the zabaim, having taken possession of Goa, 
immediately commenced operations for reducing this strong- 



800 

hold. By sinking large ships in the stream, he endea- 
voured to interrupt the communication, and at the same 
time provided pitch, sulphur, and other combustibles, for 
the purpose of setting fire to the Portuguese squadron. 
Albuquerque, unable to obstruct the progress of these fa- 
tal measures, at last felt that he must evacuate the fortress. 
Even this was become difficult; but he executed his re- 
solution with vigour and success. Having conveyed pri- 
vately on board all the guns, ammunition, and provisions, 
and seen the troops embark in profound silence, he went 
himself last into the flagship. He might have reached 
the fleet unnoticed and unmolested, had not the explosion 
of a magazine roused the enemy, and given rise to a severe 
encounter. 

Albuquerque, thus compelled to move out to sea, was 
anxious to do something which might redeem the hon- 
our lost in this undertaking, and revive the spirits of 
his men. At Pangin, near Goa, the enemy had formed a 
strongly-intrenched camp, and frequently sent out vessels 
to annoy the Portuguese. The viceroy fitted out an ex- 
pedition, which, approaching in deep silence, reached the 
shore at the first dawn, suddenly landed, and having 
sounded the drums and trumpets, and raised loud shouts, 
the Indians awoke in such a panic, that they ran off with- 
out once facing the assailants. The European comman- 
der, at full leisure, carried off a great quantity of artillery 
and stores, as well as a large supply of provisions. Learn- 
ing soon after that a squadron was preparing to attack him, 
he anticipated the movement by sending a number of 
ships under his nephew, Antony Noronha, who was met 
by the Indian chief at the head of thirty paraos; but, 
after an obstinate conflict, the latter was compelled to re- 
treat full speed to the shore. The Portuguese followed, 



801 

when Peter and Ferdinand Andrade, with five men, boarded 
the admiral's vessel; but Noronha, mounting behind them, 
was severely wounded, and fell into the boat. Amid the 
general anxiety, and while all efforts were employed to 
remove the captain out of danger, the Andrades and their 
party were forgotten ; the ship, by the receding of the 
tide, was left on dry land ; they were attacked by immensely 
superior numbers, and could defend themselves only by 
prodigies of valour. When their condition was obser- 
ved, it was for some time doubtful how to reach them ; at 
length eight bold mariners pushed on shore in the long- 
boat, attacked and made themselves masters of the ship; 
but, being unable to tow it off, were obliged to content 
themselves with the feat of rescuing their comrades. It is 
pleasing, amid the ferocity of this war, to find an exchange 
of chivalrous courtesy. The zabaim sent messengers, ex- 
pressing his admiration of the valour of the Portuguese ; 
and a polite answer was returned. A negotiation for peace 
was even opened, though without success. 

The pride of the enemy being humbled, and the spirits 
and courage of the Portuguese revived by these exploits, 
Albuquerque sailed to Cananor, where he refitted his 
fleet, and received considerable reinforcements; resolving, 
as soon as the season allowed, to make a second attempt 
upon Goa. His confidence of a happier issue on this oc- 
casion, seems to have been founded chiefly on the fact that 
the zabaim was involved in war with the kingdom of Nar- 
singa, which was likely for some time to occupy the greater 
part of his forces. Unable, however, to muster more than 
1500 Portuguese and 300 native troops, it was a very ser- 
ious undertaking to attack a large and strong capital, gar- 
risoned by upwards of 9000 men. Goa had been farther 
strengthened by a new wall and ditch, and by a stockade 



302 

drawn through the water, behind which the ships were 

moored in security, and stood like so many towers. - 

However, Albuquerque arrived in front of the city, and 
though there was no appearance of his ally Timoia, he 
determined not to delay the assault. In the morning he 
opened with his cannon a tremendous fire, and the whole 
shore was wrapt in a cloud of smoke, illuminated only by 
the flashes. He landed and divided his troops into two 
parts, one of which was led by himself, and attacked the 
northern quarter; the other, in three separate bands, 
proceeded in an opposite direction. One division, led by 
the Limas and other chosen heroes, anticipated their com- 
mander, and drove the enemy within the walls. As the 
latter were shutting the gate, Fernando Melos thrust in a 
large spear, which prevented it from closing. Several 
others following the example, it was, after a most despar- 
ate struggle, forced open, and the Portuguese entered 
along with the fugitives. These, however, still made a 
resolute stand in the houses and corners of the streets, 
particularly in the palace of the zabaim. Here a strong 
body had taken post, and twenty Portuguese who rashly 
advanced, were almost entirely cut to pieces. John de 
Lima, on forcing a passage, found his brother Jeronymo, 
with several of his comrades, lying in the agonies of death, 
but the fallen chief professed perfect resignation to his 
fate, and entreated that there might not, on his account, 
be an instant's delay. The enemy, driven from the palace, 
rallied on a neighbouring hill. The commander, who had 
been extremely surprised to find the battle raging in the 
city, now entered, but had still to wage a hard contest of 
six hours* duration before Goa was completely in his power. 
Albuquerque, being left for some time in the undistur- 
bed possession of this capital, applied himself to secure it 



803 

as a permanent acquisition to his country. His views on 
this subject materially differed from those of Almeyda, 
who conceived it wisest to keep their fleets united and at 
sea, only touching accasionally at friendly ports. So com- 
bined, they appeared to him more formidable than when 
dispersed over different stations and settlements, while 
they could at the same time overawe the native powers 
without giving any reasonable ground of jealousy. Al- 
buquerque's opinion, on the contrary, was, that a large 
city and a spacious port, which they could call their own, 
were essential to the maintainance of Portuguese supre- 
macy. They would then have a secure station for their 
fleets, a fixed point for receiving reinforcements, and a re- 
treat in case of disaster, without depending on the preca- 
rious friendship of native allies. He studied, therefore, to 
Tender Goa a suitable capital for an eastern empire. He 
■sent and received ambassadors, whom he astonished by 
the display of a pomp surpassing even that of India; and 
he surprised them still more by the extensive fortifications 
and useful works which he had already constructed. He 
viewed it also as an essential object to attach the natives to 
his government, for which purpose he adopted a somewhat 
singular expedient. Having numerous female captives, 
some belonging to the first families in the country, he 
treated them in the most honourable manner; but, not 
satisfied with this, he proceeded to arrange matrimonial 
connexions between them and his European followers, 
without leaving much choice on either side. Some such 
procedure is at least alluded to by De Barros, when he 
compares his mode of cementing the Portuguese power to 
that employed by Romulus for peopling his infant state of 
Rome. It was made an absolute condition with the 
brides that they should embrace Christianity; an obstacle 



304 

which was not found insurmountable, the prejudices of 
caste and religion being less deeply rooted there than in 
other quarters of India. A few such marriages being 
formed, the viceroy showed the parties peculiar favour, and 
bestowed on the husbands some of his best appointments. 
The principal families, finding themselves aggrandized by 
these connexions, no longer objected to them, and addi- 
tions were easily made to their number. De Barros tells 
an odd story of a great number of weddings being cele- 
brated at once with a splendid festival, when the lights 
being prematurely extinguished, it became difficult for the 
parties to recognise each *other, and they fell into many 
mistakes. Next morning an investigation was proposed ; 
but, on mature reflection, it was judged wisest, that each 
should remain content with the wife who had accidently 
fallen to his lot, though different from the one to whom the 
church had united him; and the affair furnished to the 
army only an occasion of mirth. 

Having thus settled the government, the viceroy resum- 
ed the consideration of his more distant schemes of con- 
quest. Two objects engrossed his mind, — Ormuz, the 
splendid emporium of the Persian Gulf, which had been 
snatched from him almost in the moment of victory; and 
Malacca, a native kingdom, considered then as the key of 
the remotest regions and islands of Asia. The latter ob- 
tained the preference. The capital, though situated upon 
the coast of a barren peninsula, was enriched in an extra- 
ordinary degree by being the emporium of the commerce 
carried on between Indostan, China, and the eastern 
islands, — a trade which now gives prosperity to Sincapore. 
Albuquerque sailed thither with a force of eight hundred 
Portuguese, and six hundred natives, to oppose which the 
king had mustered a garrison that has been represented as 



305 

exceeding 30,000. Negotiations were opened, and profes- 
sions made on both sides of a desire for peace; but it was 
obvious that such an expedition could terminate only in 
an appeal to arms. A vigorous resistance was made by 
wooden machines, cannon, and a species of artificial fire 
peculiar to the East; but the intrepidity of Albuquerque 
and his followers finally triumphed. He expelled all the 
native troops, and became complete master of the city. 
He immediately began to erect a strong fort out of the 
materials of the shattered palaces; he settled the govern- 
ment on that firm yet conciliatory principle which distin- 
guished his policy; and opened negotiations with Siam 
Java, and Sumatra, from which countries it is even asser- 
ted that he received friendly embassies. 

During Albuquerque's absence on this expedition, the 
zabaim mustered his forces, and sent a powerful army 
under successive commanders who forced their way into 
the Island of Goa, erected there a strong fort called Ben- 
aster, and pressed the city very closely. The viceroy, 
having at last arrived with a considerable reinforcement? 
obliged the enemy to raise the siege, but was completely 
repulsed in an attack on the garrison; and it was not till 
after repeated assaults that he was able to drive the enemy 
from their fortress, and finally established the Portuguese 
supremacy in Goa. 

The viceroy again resumed his plans of distant con- 
quest, but was baffled in two successive attempts upon 
Aden, then the chief emporium of the Red Sea. At 
length he equipped a great armament to achieve the most 
favorite object of his ambition. With 1500 European 
and 600 Asiatic troops he sailed against Ormuz, where 
his strength was considered so formidable, that the king did 
not venture to oppose his demand for permission to erect 



306 

a fort. Having performed this task with his usual dili- 
gence, he forthwith suggested the great convenience of 
transporting to this station all the cannon in the city. 
The unfortunate monarch, conscious of the state to which 
he was reduced, felt it no longer possible to refuse even 
this request; and the celebrated Ormuz became complete- 
ly a Portuguese establishment. 

This brilliant career was approaching to its close. Al- 
buquerque was now somewhat advanced in years, and his 
constitution, exhausted by so many toils, began to exhibit 
symptoms of decay. Finding his health in an infirm state, 
he became anxious to revisit Goa. As he passed along 
the coast of Cambay, letters arrived with tidings which 
struck him to the heart. A new fleet had come out, and 
Lope Soarez, the name of all others which he most detes- 
ted, not only commanded it, but was appointed to super- 
sede him as Governor of India. New officers were 
nominated to the principal vessels and forts, — all of them 
known to be most hostile to his interest. His power and 
influence, he felt, were at an end. The Portuguese wri- 
ters, always silent on every thing which might effect the 
credit of their sovereign, give no hint of the motives that 
induced him to cast off so suddenly the man who had con- 
quered for him a great empire. European counsellors, it 
may be presumed, possessed the ear of the monarch, and 
might whisper that the viceroy was becoming too great to 
continue a subject. There was not even a letter or any 
other mark of honour to soften this deep disgrace. 

The death-blow had now been given to Albuquerque, 
who no longer wished to live. Amid his agonies, it was 
suggested to him that the attachment of his adherents 
was so devoted as might enable him to defy the mandate 
of an ungrateful master, and still remain ruler of the In- 



307 

dian Seas. He seems to have opened his mind for a mo- 
ment to the temptation, but finally repelled it, and sought 
only in the grave a refuge for his wounded pride and ho- 
nour. Violently agitated, refusing food and refreshment, 
and calling every hour for death, he could not be long of 
finding it. As his end approached, he was persuaded to 
write a short letter to the king in favour of his son, ex- 
pressed in the following proud and pathetic terms: — " Sen- 
or, — This is the last letter which, in the agonies of death, I 
write to your Highness, of the many which I have written 
during the long period of my life, when I had the satisfac- 
tion of serving you. In your kingdom I have a son, by 
name Braz de Albuquerque, whom I entreat your High- 
ness to favour as my services may merit. As for the affairs 
of India, they will speak for themselves and for me." Feel- 
ing that he must die before reaching Goa, his mind became 
tranquillized; he ascribed the present change to the or- 
dination of Providence, and turned all his thoughts to that 
other world on which he was about to enter. A light 
barge sent before him brought out the vicar-general, who 
administered to him the sacraments of the church ; and on 
the morning of the 16th December, 1515, he expired. 
He was carried in pomp to the shore, where his funeral 
was celebrated by the tears both of the Portuguese and of 
the natives, whose hearts he had completely attached to 
him. Thus died Alphonso d' Albuquerque, who stood 
foremost among his countrymen, and ranks with the great- 
est naval commanders of modern Europe." 



308 



MADRAS.— See Letter IX, p. 25. 

"Madras or Fort St George, a celebrated fort and city 
of Indostan, 100 miles north by east of Pondicherry, Ion. 
80. — 25. east lat. 13. 5. north, the capital of the British 
possessions on the east side of the Peninsula, and is a for- 
tress of very great extent. It is close on the margin of 
the Bay of Bengal, from which it has a rich and beautiful 
appearance, the houses being covered with a stucco called 
chunam, which in itself is nearly as compact as the finest 
marble, and bears as high a polishr. The Black Town is 
separated from the fort by an esplanade. In common with 
all the European settlements on this coast, Madras has no 
port for shipping, the coast forming nearly a straight line; 
and it is incommoded also with a high and dangerous surf. 
It is the seat of an archdeaconry, and of missions from 
different societies in Britain. In 1746 it was taken by 
the French, but restored by the peace of Aix-la-Chapeile. 
On the breaking out of the memorable war, in 1756, 
between Britain and France, an extensive armament was 
fitted out by the government of the latter, to make the 
most vigorous efforts to acquire an ascendency in India. 
The person entrusted with this important mission was a 
Count Lally, an officer of Irish extraction, who had made 
several . very brilliant displays of valour at the battle of 
Fontenoy. He landed at Pondicherry on the 25th April, 
1758, and prepared to make an immediate attack on Fort 
St. David, considered at that time the strongest and most 
important of the English settlements in the East. The 
garrison, after making a very injudicious defence, throwing 
away their shot on insignificant objects, was obliged to 
surrender ; the troops became prisoners of war, and the 



309 

fortress was razed to the ground. Lally returned to Pon- 
dicherry in the highest exultation, and determined to lose 
no time in following up his design of extirpating the Eng- 
lish from India. After taking possession of Arcot and 
several other places in the Carnatic, he deemed it expe- 
dient to commence a siege against Madras, which he car- 
ried on for upwards of two months, under great difficulties. 
The garrison, consisting of 1,758 Europeans and 2,420 
natives, commanded by Governor Pigot and the veteran 
Laurence, made the most gallant defence. The siege was 
terminated by the appearance, on the 16th February, of a 
squadron of six English vessels, containing six hundred 
fresh troops. As soon as this fleet hove in sight, the 
French army, without waiting their commander's orders, 
began to retreat with the utmost precipitation, and the 
general had not time to execute his cruel purpose of burn- 
ing the Black Town.'' 



MALACCA See Letter X. p. 27. 

" Malacca, or Malay a, an extensive country of India, 
beyond the Ganges, bounded on the N. by Siam, E. by 
the ocean, and S. W. by the strait of Malacca, which se- 
parates it from Sumatra. It is 775 miles in length and 
125 in breadth; and produces a great many excellent fruits 
and roots, pepper, and other spices, with some precious 
gums and woods. There is but little corn, and sheep and 
oxen are scarce ; but hogs and poultry are plentiful. The 
population is about 15,000, principally Malays, who are 



310 

deemed the most ferocious people on the face of the globe ; 
they are however a very fine looking race of men, rather 
below the middle stature; limbs well shaped; tawny com- 
plexion ; large eyes, and long black shining hair. They 
are fond of navigation, war, plunder, emigration, adven- 
tures and gallantry ; talk incessantly of their honor and 
bravery, and speak the softest language of Asia. The 
government is vested in a rajah, or sultan, with a great 
number of chiefs under him, who generally pay very little 
regard to his authority. Their religion is a mixture of 
Mahomedism and paganism. The inland parts are pos- 
sessed by a savage and barbarous people." 



JAVA See Letter XI, p. 29. 

" This island is sometimes called Great Java, to distin- 
guish it from Bali, by some named Little Java; and is 640 
miles in length, and of various breadth, extending from 
105. to 116. E. Ion., and 6. to 9. S. lat. The land is low, 
and in some places marshy, near the shore, which renders 
the air unhealthy; but it rises in a gradual slope towards 
the interior of the country, admitting in its ascent every 
variety of situation and verdure. Rice is the staple pro- 
duction of the island, and is exported in considerable 
quantity. Sugar, pepper, cotton, and coffee, are produced 
in abundance. Indigo, of a very superior quality, is also 
cultivated; and wheat, barley, oats, and Bengal grain, 
thrive well and might be produced in great abundance, if 
due attention were bestowed on their culture. The north 



311 

coast has a great many commodious creeks, bays, harbours, 
and towns, with many little islands near the shore. The 
inhabitants are chiefly Javanese; next to these are the 
Malays; and in the seaports a considerable number of 
Chinese are settled. The Javanese inhabit all the inte- 
rior parts of the island, and are in general the cultivators 
of the soil. They are described as a barbarous, proud, 
and fierce people, of a brown complexion, short, coal-black 
hair, large cheeks, small eyes, and large eyebrows. The 
men are very robust and strong limbed; the women are 
small, but of pleasing countenance, and in some districts 
they are really beautiful. The men wear a piece of calico, 
which is the principal manufacture of the island, wrapt two 
or three times round their middle; and the women wear 
them from the armpits down to the knees; but all other 
parts are bare. The men have two or three wives, and 
several concubines, according to their circumstances. The 
Javanese appear, from remains of temples and inscriptions, 
to be of Hindoo descent, and their language is quite dis- 
tinct from that of the Malays; but the professed religion 
of both is Mahomedism. The Malays principally inhabit 
along the coast. They are not so well featured as the 
Javanese; but the men are often very muscular and well 
made. They are generally indolent, but at the same time 
restless, vindictive, and treacherous. The Chinese are 
distinguished by their habits of industry, and generally by 
their wealth. Many of them carry on a considerable trade 
with their native country, and the several islands of the 
eastern archipelago. They intermarry with the Javanese 
and Malays, and purchase female slaves for wives and con- 
cubines. This island has very high mountains, particularly 
the Pepper Mountain on the South side; it has, likewise, 
impassable forests and wildernesses; but to the North be- 



812 

tween Batavia and Bantam, is a very populous country, 
full of rice fields, and plenty of salt and pepper, besides 
most sorts of fruits proper to the climate. Here also are 
plenty of hogs, beeves, and sheep, with other tame ani- 
mals ; and likewise fowl, both wild and tame, in great 
abundance. In the woods are large tigers, rhinoceroses, 
and other wild beasts; and in the rivers are crocodiles. 
The serene season is from May till November ; and then 
the rains begin, which lay the low grounds under water, 
kill the insects, and continue till March, when they com- 
mence sowing, and in July the sugar and rice begin to 
ripen; but September and October are the best months 
for all sorts o *its. Java has a river which rises in the 
mountains, and, dividing itself into many branches, wa- 
ters the circumjacent country ; these afterwards reunite, 
and pass through Batavia, dividing it into two parts. For 
more than a century Java was under the dominion of 
the Dutch. In 1811 it was captured by the British, un- 
der Sir Samuel Auchmuty, when many important changes 
were made in its internal administration, and government 
also did much to promote agricultural improvements, 
and the country prospered and enjoyed tranquility. — 
Since it has been restored to the Dutch they appear, how- 
ever, to have reverted to their former wretched system, as 
they have been engaged in quelling insurrections, which 
there is little doubt were provoked by their arbitrary and 
vexatious exactions.' ' 



313 



BATAVIA.— See Letter XIL p. 33. 

" This city is finely situated on the bosom of a spacious 
bay on the north-east part of Java, and capital of all the 
Dutch settlements in the East Indies. This city was 
first founded in 1619, and rose rapidly into* importance, 
and during the eighteenth century was deemed the finest 
European settlement in all Asia; and although con- 
sidered unhealthy, from the influence of the heat of the 
climate on the mud and stagnant waters of the canals and 
streams by which it is intersected, it v.* »ainly denomi- 
nated by the Dutch, the " Queen of the East.'* 

Batavia was very sensibly affected by the war of 1793, 
and became almost deserted, until its capture, with the 
whole of the island of Java, by the English, in 1811, 
when it became again the centre of an extensive com- 
merce. It was ceded back to the Dutch on the peace of 
1814, who having relaxed somewhat from their former 
system of proscription and monopoly in their commercial 
regulations, Batavia continues a flourishing and important 
place. The fort is built of coral rock, brought from some 
of the adjoining islands, and has a fortification of brick. 
A part of the town wall is built of dense lava from the 
mountains in the centre of Java. No stone of any kind 
is to be found for many miles beyond the city. Marble 
and granite are brought from China. The harbour is ex- 
cellent, and there are canals in the principal streets, plan- 
ted on each side with trees, after the manner of the towns 
in Holland. The inhabitants are composed of natives 
from nearly all the countries and islands of Asia and the 
Indian Ocean, as well as most of the chief trading parts 

d 



314 

of Europe and America, amongst whom the number of 
Chinese is considerable. The stadthouse is the principal 
edifice deserving of notice. The natives of the several 
nations and countries who compose the population, which 
amounts to about 50,000, have each their churches, mos- 
ques, and temples, but there are none that merit any par- 
ticular notice." 



SOURABAYA.— See Letter XIX, p. 66. 

" Sourabaya is the capital of a district of the same 
name, situate within the narrow Strait formed by the is- 
lands of Java and Madura, and is defended by batteries. 
When the French were in possession of Java, they in- 
tended to have made Sourabaya a port of some conse- 
quence, and large sums of money were expended in the 
works for the defence of the harbour, and General Daen- 
dols was going on with his plans when the island was 
taken by the British. The houses are generally good, 
and some even elegant, particularly the country seats of 
private individuals. Besides an arsenal, with other exten- 
sive works, calculated for equipments, on a very large 
scale, there is a mint at work, on a new silver and copper 
coinage, and a ship yard, where vessels of a large size are 
built. The population of this town is about 1800." 



315 



CHINESE See Letter XIX. p. 66—76. 

The description given of the Chinese and their religion 
in pages 66 — 76, is from personal observation and other 
information obtained while in the island of Java, and it 
may not prove uninteresting to draw a comparison between 
the Chinese there and those in China. This, however, 
can only be done by making a few extracts from the works 
of those authors who have treated on the manners, cus- 
toms, &c, of that singular people. 

Religion. — " There can scarcely be said to be any 
religion in China — at least as a system of divine worship 
or a regulation for the conduct of the people. There is 
no sabbatical institution, nor congregational worship ; no 
external forms of devotion, petition, or thanksgiving. The 
emperor takes the sole charge of the spiritual concerns of 
the people, and is the only individual in the nation who 
directly addresses the Supreme Being, performing at fixed 
periods certain ceremonies and oblations. The equinoxes 
are the times when the grand sacrifices in the temple de- 
dicated to Heaven are offered up, when every kind of bu- 
siness is suspended in the capital. The national, or ra- 
ther Government-religion, may be described as a sort of 
Deism. The Tien, or Great Spirit, is invested with the 
attributes of omnipotence and omniscience. The names 
by which this sovereign power is known are Whang-tien, 
the illustrious heaven; Chang-tee, the supreme ruler: 
Tien-tee, heaven and earth ; Che-chung, the first and the 
last ; Ken-puen, root and branch ; and other descriptive 
denominations. In addition to this supreme power, how- 
ever, the Chinese, like all barbarous nations, invest all the 



316 

elements with innumerable spirits and genii, fanciful im- 
ages of which they worship both in their own houses and 
in temples dedicated to the purpose. These temples are 
under the care of the Bonzes, who live unmarried, and 
associate in convents like Romish monks. The idol-wor- 
ship exhibited in these temples is characterised by every 
mark of the most debasing and besotted superstition. 
When a votary has applied to his idol for some time in 
vain to obtain a certain boon, he abandons the ungenerous 
spirit in indignation ; sometimes demolishing his image, 
and kicking it through the streets, Avith every mark of 
contumely ! In every possible circumstance of life, the 
Chinese implore the protection and aid of some idol. 
Should a countryman be about to raise a building, or 
attempt any other work in which he might lie in danger 
of receiving injury, he places a small stone upright, sur- 
rounds it with a few candles, burns two or three gilded 
papers, and then proceeds to work with perfect confidence. 
They also consult oracles previous to undertaking a jour- 
ney, commencing a law-suit, &c. ; and thus the Bonzes, 
who are the interpreters of the responses, are kept in con- 
stant employment. So strong, indeed, is the resemblance 
of the interior of a temple of Fo, the dress of the priests, 
and the ceremonies of devotion, to those of the church of 
Rome, that one of the missionaries says, " it seems as if 
the devil had run a race with the Jesuits to China, and 
liaving got the start of them, had contrived these things 
for their mortification. " 

Manners, &c— It may be readily admitted that the 
Chinese were amongst the first of existing nations who 
arrived at a certain degree of excellence ; but it is not less 
evident that they have long remained stationary, and have 
even in some points retrogaded. The following assertion 



317 

of Sir William Jones may almost be literally adopted : — 
' Their letters, if we may so call them, are merely the 
symbols of ideas ; their philosophy is in so rude a state as 
hardly to deserve the appellation ; they have no ancient 
monuments from which their origin may be traced, even 
by plausible conjecture ; their sciences are wholly exotic ; 
and their mechanical arts have nothing in them character- 
istic of a particular family — nothing which any set of men 
in a country so highly favoured might not have discovered 
and improved.' 

In their moral qualities, the Chinese are a strange com- 
pound of vanity and meanness, affected gravity and real 
frivolity — an utter want of all manly judgment and sense, 
combined with the most insidious art and cunning, the 
usual accompaniments of vulgar ignorance. The Tartar 
race are distinguished by a blunt and unstudied frankness 
of manner and openness of disposition ; but the true Chi- 
nese betray the most debasing servility of tone and man- 
ner — plausible, sly, and artful. They have not the 
slightest regard to truth, and will assert and deny anything 
with the most unblushing effrontery, being also entirely 
destitute of shame. The pain inflicted by the bamboo is 
the only consideration they attach to public and disgraceful 
corporeal punishment. They have neither sense of honour 
nor self-respect. ' A Chinese prince, or powerful mandarin,' 
says a recent traveller, ' will commit extortion or oppres- 
sion whenever he can do it with impunity, and regards it 
as a matter of right attached to his station. A Chinese 
trader will cheat and defraud whenever it is in his power, 
and even piques himself upon his skill in overreaching, 
as a proof of his talent. A Chinese peasant will pilfer 
and steal whatever is within his reach, whenever he can 
hope to escape detection ; and the whole nation may be 



318 

affirmed to have almost nothing in view but their own self- 
interest and security. Their general character, in short, 
in point of morals, compared with the minute enforcement 
of duty by the penal laws, affords an irresistable proof of 
the utter incompetency of legislation, without the aid of 
religious principle, to reach beyond the mere external 
conduct of individuals, or to produce anything like real 
social virtue among human beings.' In their feelings, the 
Chinese are cruel, sensual, and vindictive. Mr Barrow, 
M. de Guignes, and other travellers, all agree in their re- 
presentations of the inhuman conduct of those in author- 
ity. One of the arbitrary laws of China is the compelling 
of the natives to pull the imperial barges alongst the 
canals ; and Mr Barrow had several opportunities of wit- 
nessing the merciless exercise of this authority on the part 
of the military. The impressed labourers took, of course, 
every opportunity of deserting ; and whenever there was a 
deficiency of hands, the despotic officials set off to the 
nearest hamlet, roused the natives out of bed with the 
whip, made them jump into the water to assist the towing 
operations, lashing them with long cart-whips all the 
while with the most ruthless barbarity. Mr Barrow also 
relates another specimen of Chinese indifference to human 
life which he witnessed in passing down the great canal 
betwixt Canton and Pekin. Several persons who had 
crowded to the brink of the canal, had posted themselves 
upon the high projecting stern of an old vessel, which 
broke down with their weight, and precipitated the whole 
group into the water. Although numbers of boats were 
plying about at the very spot, not one was observed to go 
to the assistance of the drowning wretches, whose shrieks 
and cries were totally disregarded. 

Nothing is so significant of the moral condition of a 



319 

people as their treatment of the female sex, and no where 
are the women so inhumanely used as in China. They are 
not permitted to stir out of doors, excepting the wives of 
the lower orders, who are to be seen toiling at all kinds of 
laborious tasks, while their indolent husbands are sitting 
quietly smoking their pipes. In the country they are even 
to be seen drawing the plough and harrow, while their lazy 
helpmate drives them on. 

Amongst the other moral iniquities of the Chinese, is 
the crime of infanticide ; and from the contempt in which 
females are generally held, parents expose their female 
children without the slightest remorse. It is a part of the 
duty of the Pekin police to go their rounds with carts, at 
an early hour of the morning, to pick up the bodies of the 
infants that have been thrown out into the streets in the 
course of the night, and to carry them, without inquiry, to 
a common pit without the city walls, where they are thrown 
in promiscuously. It has been calculated that there are 
between 20,000 and 30,000 female infants yearly sacrificed 
in China ! What a horrible picture of national depravity 
does not this one fact present !" 



ST. HELENA.— See Letter XXVIII, p. 123. 

" This island was discovered by the Portuguese, on St. 
Helena's day, in the year 1501. It was afterwards in the 
possession of the Dutch till 1600, when they were expel- 
led by the English, and it now belongs to the East India 
Company. It is 27 miles in circumference, and lies in 



3-20 

the Atlantic Ocean, between the continents of Africa and 
South America, about 1200 miles west of the former, and 
1800 east of the latter. It has some high mountains, par- 
ticularly one called Diana Peak, which is covered with 
wood to the very top. There are other hills also, which 
bear evident marks of a volcanic origin, and some have 
huge rocks of lava, and a kind of half vitrified flags. The 
climate of St. Helena is temperate, being exempt from 
the extremes of heat and cold, from thunder and lightning 
and hurricanes. It is moist, however, and only about one 
day in three is illuminated by sunshine. The interior val- 
leys and little hills are covered with verdure, and inter- 
spersed with gardens, orchards, and various plantations. 
Rats, however, are so numerous that the fruit of the hus- 
bandman's labour is completely destroyed, and the price of 
provisions, from that circumstance, greatly enhanced. The 
most part of the necessaries of life are imported from the 
Cape of Good Hope and Britain, which makes living on 
the island very expensive. 

St. Helena was little known until it became the prison 
of Napoleon Bonaparte, the late Emperor of France. He 
died in May, 1821, and was buried on the island, which 
have rendered it a spot of historical interest." 



THE END. 



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020 946441A 



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